conversant in that holy Exercise ibid. 378 Circumstances observable in workes of charitie and devotion ibid. Objections and resolutions upon the ground of Perfection 381. lin 16 Of the Contemplative part of Perfection 382 A Corollary betwixt the Heathen and Christian contemplation 384 Examples of a contemplative and retired life 387 A three-fold Meditation of necessarie importance 1 Worthinesse of the soule 2 Vnworthinesse of Earth 3 Thankefulnesse unto God who made man the worthiest creature upon Earth 389 Of the Active part of Perfection 391 No contagion so mortally dangerous to the body as corrupt company is to the soule 393 Two especiall memorials recommended to our devoutest meditation 1 The Author of our creation 2 The End of our creation ib. A foure-fold Creation 394. lin 8 The fabulous and frivolous opinions of foure Heathen Philosophers ascribing the creation of all things to the foure Elements 396. lin 6 Their arguments evinced by pregnant testimonies both of Scriptures and Fathers ibid. The End of our creation 397 Singular precepts of Mortification 399 Idlenesse begetteth security properly termed the Soules Lethargy 400 A Christians Ephemerides or his Euening account 401 The Active part of Perfection prefer'd before the Cōtemplative 403 No ARMORY can more truly deblazon a Gentleman than acts of charity and compassion 404 The Active preferred before the Contemplative for two respects the first whereof hath relation to our selves the second to others 407 408 Ignorance is to be preferred before knowledge loosely perverted with a comparison by way of objection and resolution betwixt the conveniences of Action and Knowledge 406 407 Action is the life of man and Example the direction of his life 409. l. 3 Wherein the Active part of Perfection consisteth 410 Active Perfection consisteth in Mortification of Action and Affection Mortification extends it selfe in a three-fold respect to these three distinct Subjects 1 Life 2 Name 3 Goods illustrated with Eminent Examples of Christian resolution during the ten Persecutions 411 412 Not the act of death but the cause of death makes the Martyr 414 No action how glorious soever can be crowned unlesse it be on a pure intention grounded 415 Mortificat in respect of name or report is two-fold 1 In turning our eares from such as praise us 2 In hearing with patiēce such as revile us 418 Scandals distinguished and which with more patience than others may be tollerated 424 425 c. Mortification in our contempt of all worldly substance pitching upon two remarkable considerations 1 By whom these blessings are conferred on us 2 How they are to be disposed by us 427 Vain-glory shuts man from the gate of glory 428 An exquisite connexion of the precedent Meditations 430 The absolute or supreme end wherto this Actuall Perfection aspireth and wherein it solely resteth 434 Singular Patternes of Mortification in their Contempt of life and embrace of death 439 440 The reason of his frequent repetition of sundry notable occurrences throughout this whole Booke 439 The Heart can no more by circumference of the World be confined than a Triangle by a Circle filled 442. lin 23. Though our feet be on Earth our faith must be in Heaven 445 A pithy Exhortation A powerfull Instruction clozing with a perswasive Conclusion 453 454 455 A Character intitled A Gentleman THE ENGLISH GENTLEMAN YOVTH Argument The dangers that attend on Youth The vanitie of Youth display'd in foure distinct Subjects Three violent passions incident to Youth Physicke prescribed and receits applied to cure these Maladies in Youth YOVTH HOwsoever some more curiously than needfully may seeme to reason that there be divers Climactericall or dangerous yeeres in mans time sure I am that in mans age there is a dangerous time in respect of those Sinne-spreading Sores which soile and blemish the glorious image of the soule And this time is Youth an affecter of all licentious liberty a Comicke introducer of all vanitie and the only Heire apparent to carnall securitie This it was which moved that princely Prophet to pray Lord forgiue mee the Sinnes of my youth Sins indeed because the youthfull sinner is ever committing but never repenting usually provoking God but rarely invoking God This is hee who Snuffeth the wind with the wilde Asse in the desart being like the Horse or Mule which hath no understanding by giving Sense preeminence aboue Reason and walking in the fatnesse of his heart as one wholly forgetfull of God He may say with the Psalmist though in another sense Vt jumentum factus sum apud te upon exposition of which sentence it is laudable saith Euthymius that in the sight of God we take our selues as Beasts to shew our humility but not to resemble beasts in ignorance or brutish sensualitie Many are the dangerous shelfes which menace ruine and shipwracke to the inconsiderate and improvident Soule during her sojourning here in this Tabernacle of clay but no time more perillous than the heat of Youth or more apt to give fuell to the fire of all inordinate desires being as ready to consent as the Devil is to tempt and most willing to enter parley with her spirituall enemie upon the least assault It is reported by Eusebius that Saint Iohn meeting a strong young-man of good stature amiable feature sweet countenance and great spiri◠straightway looking upon the Bishop of that place he said thus unto him Christ being witnesse and before the Church I commend unto thee and thy care this young man to be especially regarded and educated in all spirituall discipline Whom when the Bishop had received into his tuition and promised that he would performe whatsoever he ought S. Iohn againe and againe gives his charge and contesteth his fidelity and afterwards he returnes to Ephesus The Bishop takes the young man home brings him up as his owne sonne keeps him within the limits of his dutie intreats him gently and at last baptiseth him and confirmes him Afterwards upon remitting something of his care and giving freer reines to his libertie the young man takes occasion to shake off the yoake of tuition and falls into bad company who corrupt him diverting his course from the path of vertue by these meanes First they invite him to banquets then they carry him abroad in the Night afterward to maintaine their profuser expence they draw him to theevery and so by degrees to greater wickednesse being now made Captaine in this theevish company At last Saint Iohn returnes and saith Goe to Bishop give me my depositum which I and Christ committed unto thee in the Church which thou governest The Bishop was astonied thinking that he had deceitfully demanded some money which he never received and yet durst scarce distrust the Apostle But as soone as Saint Iohn said I demand the young man and soule of my brother the old man hanging downe his head sighing and weeping said ille mortuus est he is dead How and with what kinde of death said Iohn Deo mortuus
so much lamented for that is of necessitie and therefore exacts no teares of sorrow being if spent as fruitlesse as the doome reverselesse but their sudden or inopinate departure Whereto I answer that no death is sudden to him that dies well for sudden death hath properly a respect rather to the life how it was passed or disposed than to death how short his summons were or how quickly clozed Io. Mathes preaching upon the raising up of the womans sonne of Naim by Christ within three houres afterward died himselfe The like is written of Luther and many others As one was choaked with a flie another with a haire a third pushing his foot against the tressall another against the threshold falls downe dead So many kinde of wayes are chalked out for man to draw towards his last home and weane him from the love of earth Those whom God loves saith Menander die young yea those whom hee esteemeth highest hee takes from hence the soonest And that for two causes the one is to free them the sooner from the wretchednesse of earth the other to crowne them the sooner with Happinesse in Heaven For what gaine wee by a long life or what profit reape wee by a tedious Pilgrimage but that wee partly see partly suffer partly commit more evils Priamus say more dayes and shed more teares than Troilus Let us hence then learne so to measure our sorrow for ought that may or shall befall us in respect of the bodie that after her returne to earth it may be gloriously re-united to the soule to make an absolute Consort in Heaven Thirdly and lastly for the goods or blessings of Fortune they are not to command us but to be commanded by us not to be served by us but to serve us And because hee onely in the affaires of this life is the wealthiest who in the desires of this life is the neediest and he the richest on earth who sees little worth desiring on earth we are so to moderate our desires as I have formerly touched in respect of those things we have not that wee may labour to over-master our desires in thirsting after more than we already have likewise so to temper and qualifie our affections in respect of those things we have as to shew no immoderate sorrow for the losse of those we have but to be equally minded as well in the fruition of those wee have as privation of those we have not For of all others there is no sorrow baser nor unworthier than that which is grounded on the losse of Oxe or Cow or such inferiour subjects Neither incurre they any lesse opinion of folly who carried away with the love of their Horse Hound or some such creature use for some prize or conquest got to reare in their memory some Obeliske or Monument graced with a beauteous inscription to preserve their fame because poore beasts they have nothing to preserve themselves for howsoever this act seeme to have some correspondence with gratitude labouring only to grace them who have graced us rearing a stone to perpetuate their fame who memoriz'd our Name by speed of foot yet is it grosse and so palpable to those whose discretion is a moulder of all their actions as they account it an act worthier the observation of an Heathen than a Christian. Cimon buried his Mares bestowing upon them specious Tombs when they had purchased credit in the swift races of the Olympiads Xanâ—ippus bewailed his Dogs death which had followed his master from Calamina Alexander erected a Citie in the honour of Bucephalus having beene long defended by him in many dangerous battels And the Asse may well among the Heathen be adorned with Lillies Violets and Garlands when their Goddesse Vesta by an Asses bray avoided the rape of Priapus But howsoever these actions among Pagans might carry some colour of thankfulnesse rewarding them by whose speed fury agilitie or some other meanes they have beene as well preserved as honoured yet with Christians whose eyes are so clearely opened and by the light divine so purely illumined would these seeme acts of prophanenesse ascribing honour to the creature to whom none is due and not to the Creator to whom all honour is solely and properly due In briefe let us so esteeme of all â—he goods and gifts of Fortune as of Vtensils fit for our use and service but of the Supreme good as our chiefest Soâ—ace For he who subjected all things to the feet of man that man might be wholly subject unto him and that man might be wholly his he gave man dominion over all those workes of his so he created all outward things for the bodie the bodie for the soule but the soule for him that shee might only intend him and only love him possessing him for solace but inferiour things for service Thus farre Gentlemen hath this present discourse inlarged it selfe to expresse the rare and incomparable effects which naturally arise from the due practice of Moderation being indeed a vertue so necessary and well deserving the acquaintance of a Gentleman who is to be imagined as one new come to his lands and therefore stands in great need of so discreet an Attendant as there is no one vertue better sorting his ranke not only in matters of preferment profit or the like but in matters of reputation or personall ingagement where his very name or credit is brought to the tesh Looke not then with the eye of scorne on such a follower but take these instructions with you for a fare-well Doth Ambition buzze in your eare motions of Honour This faithfull Attendant Moderation will disswade you from giving way to these suggestions and tell you Ambition is the high road which leads to ruine but Humilitie is the gate which opens unto glory Doth Covetousnesse whisper to you matters of profit Here is one will tell you the greatest wealth in the world is to want the desires of the world Doth Wantonnesse suggest to you motives of Delight Here is that Herbe of Grace which will save you from being wounded and salve you already wounded In briefe both your expence of Time and Coine shall bee so equally disposed as you shall never need to redeeme Time because you never prodigally lost it nor repent your fruitlesse expence of Coine because you never profusely spent it Thus if you live you cannot chuse but live for ever for ever in respect of those choice vertues which attend you for ever in respect of your good Example moving others to imitate you And for ever in respect of that succeeding glory which shall crowne you THE ENGLISH GENTLEMAN Argument Of Perfection Contemplative and Active The Active preferred Wherein it consisteth Of the absolute or Supreme end whereto it aspireth and wherein it resteth PERFECTION WE are now to treat of a Subject which while we are here on earth is farre easier to discourse of than to finde for Perfection is not absolute in this life but
ever to swim in troubled waters nor can they endure to be mated Though their aimes bee to perpetuate their greatnesse yet those Beasts which are bred about the River Hypaniâ— and live but one day may oft-times compare with them for continuance whence the Poet saith excellently out of his owne observation Much have I seene yet seldome seene I have Ambition goe gray-headed to his grave There is nothing which the Ambitiouâ— man hates so much as a corrivall he hopes to possesse all and without a sharer But so indirect are his plots and so insuccessive their end as hee findes to his great griefe that the promise of securitie had no firme foundation to ground on nor his attempts that issue they expected Now Gentlemen you whose better parts aime at more glorious ends so confine your desires to an equall meane that mounting too high bring you not to an irreparable fall Wee are borne indeed as that divine Father saith to be Eagles and not Iayes to fly aloft and not to seek our food on the ground but our Eagle eyes are to be fixed on the Sunne of righteousnesse not on temporall preferments We are to soare to the Tower from whence commeth our helpe For it is not lifting up a mans selfe God likes but lifting up of the spirit in prayer Here are wings for flying without feare of falling for other aymes they are but as feathers in the aire they delude us howsoever they seeme to secure us But I heare some young Gentleman object that it is a brave thing to be observed in the eye of the world to have our persons admired our selves in publike resorts noted yea our Names dispersed indeed I grant He who consists on nothing more than showes Thinkes it is brave to heare Loe there he goes But such whose solid vnderstandings haue instructed them in higher studies as much disvalue popular opinion or the Corkie conceits of the vulgar as the Nobilitie scornes to converse with any thing unworthy it selfe Their greatnesse hath correspondence with goodnesse for esteeme of the world as in respect of their owne worth they deserue it so in contempt of all outward glory they disvalue it Come then yee nobly affected Gentlemen would yee be heires of honour and highly reputed by the Highest Resemble the Nature of the Highest who humbled himselfe in the forme of Man to restore miserable man vilifying himselfe to make man like himselfe It is not beleeve it to shine in grace or esteeme of the Court which can ennoble you this glory is like glasse bright but brittle and Courtiers saith one are like Counters which sometime in account goe for a thousand pound and presently before the Count bee past but 〈◊〉 single pennie It is more glory to be in the Courts of the Lord to purchase esteeme with him whose judgement never erres and whose countenance never alters It is reported by Commine in his French Annals that Charles whom he then served was of this disposition that he would make assay of the greatest matters revolving in his mind how he might compasse them yea perchance saith he assayes farre above the strength of man See the picture of an Ambitious spirit loving ever to be interessed in affaires of greatest difficultie Camelion-like on subtill ayre he feeds And vies in colours with the checkerd meeds Let no such conceits transport you lest repentance finde you It is safer chusing the Middle-path than by walking or tracing vncouth wayes to stray in your iourney More have fallen by presumption than distrust of their owne strength And reason good for such who dare not relie on themselves give way to others direction whereas too much confidence or selfe-opinionate boldnesse will rather chuse to erre and consequently to fall than submit themselves to others judgement Of this opinion seemed Velleius the Epicurean to bee of whom it is said that in confidence of himselfe hee was so farre from feare as hee seemed not to doubt of any thing A modest or shamefast feare becomes Youth better which indeed ever attends the best or affablest natures Such will attempt nothing without advice nor assay ought without direction so as their wayes are secured from many perills which attend on inconsiderate Youth My conclusion of this point shall be in a word that neither the rich man is to glory in his riches the wise man in his wisdome nor the strong man in his strength for should man consider the weaknesse and many infirmities whereto he is hourely subâ—ect hee would finde innumerable things to move him to sorrowing but few or none to glory in Againe if he should reflect to the consideration of his Dissolution which that it shall bee is most certaine but when it shall be most vncertaine he would be forced to stand upon his guard with that continuall feare as there would be no emptie place left in him for pride This day one proud as prouder none May lye in earth ere day be gone What confidence is there to be reposed in so weake a foundation where to remaine ever is impossible but quickly to remove most probable Then to use Petrarchs words be not afraid though the house the Bodie be shaken so the Soule the guest of the Body fare well for weakning of the one addeth for most part strength to the other And so I come to the last passion or perturbation incident to Youth REvenge is an intended resolve arising from a conceived distaste either justly or unjustly grounded This Revenge is ever violent'st in hot blouds who stand so much upon termes of reputation as rather than they will pocket up the least indignitie they willingly oppose themselves to extremest hazard Now this unbounded fury may seeme to have a two-fold relation either as it is proper and personall or popular and impersonall Revenge proper or personall ariseth from a peculiar distaste or offence done or offered to our own person which indeed hath ever the deepest impression Which may be instanced in Menelaus and Paris where the honour of a Nuptiall bed the Law of Hospitalitie the professed league of Amitie were joyntly infringed Or in Antonie and Octavius whose intestine hate grew to that height as Antonies Angell was afraid of Octavius Angell Which hatred as it was fed and increased by Fulvia so was it allayed and tempâ—red by Octavia though in the end it grew irreconciliable ending in bloud as it begun with lust Revenge popular or impersonall proceedeth extrinsecally as from factions in Families or some ancient grudge hereditarily descending betwixt House and House or Nation and Nation When Annibal was a childe and at his fathers commandement he was brought into the place where he made sacrifice and laying his hand upon the Altar swore that so soone as he had any rule in the Common-wealth he would be a professed enemie to the Romans Whence may be observed how the conceit of an injury or offence received worketh
Leycester the Temple of Ianus in Yorke where Peters is now the Temple of Bellona in London where Pauls is now the Temple of Diana Therefore it is very likely that they esteemed as highly then of the Goddesse Diana in London as they did in Ephesus and that as they cried there Great is Diana of the Ephesians so they cried here being deluded with the same spirit Great is Diana of the Londoners Even no more than 53. yeeres before the incarnation of Christ when Iulius Caesar came out of France into England so absurd senselesse and stupid were the people of this Land that instead of the true and ever-living Lord they served these Heathenish and abominable Idols Mars Mercurie Minerva Victoria Apollo Ianus Bellona Diana and such like And not long after to wit Anno Christi 180. King Lucius being first Christened himselfe forthwith established Religion in this whole Kingdome But thankes thankes be to God in the time of the New Testament three and fifty yeeres after the incarnation of Christ when Ioseph of Arimathea came out of France into England many in this Realme of blinde and ignorant Pagans became very zealous and sincere Christians For Saint Philip the Apostle after he had preached the Gospell throughout all France at length sent Ioseph of Arimathea hither into England Who when he had converted very many to the Faith died in this Land and he that buried the body of Christ was buried in Glastenbury himselfe Also Simon Zelotes another Apostle after he had preached the Gospel thorowout all Mauritania at length came over into England who when he had declared likewise to us the doctrine of Christ crucified was in the end crucified himselfe and buried here in Britaine About this time Aristobulus one of the seventie Disciples whom Saint Paul mentioneth in his Epistle to the Romans was a reverend and renowned Bishop in this Land Also Claudia a noble English Ladie whom Saint Paul mentioneth in his second Epistle to Timothy was here amongst us a famous professour of the faith Since which time though the civill state hath beene often turned up-side downe by the Romans by the Saxons by the Danes by the Normans yet the Gospell of Christ hath never utterly failed or beene taken from us This the holy Fathers of the Church which have lived in the ages next ensuing doe declare Tertullian who lived Anno 200. writeth thus All the coasts of Spaine and divers parts of France and many places of Britaine which the Romans could never subdue with their sword Christ hath subdued with his word Origen who lived Anno 260. writeth thus Did the I le of Britaine before the comming of Christ ever acknowledge the faith of one God No but yet now all that Countrey singeth joyfully unto the Lord. Constantine the Great the glory of all the Emperours borne here in England and of English bloud who lived Anno 306. writeth in an Epistle thus Whatsoever custome is of force in all the Churches of Aegypt Spaine France and Britaine looke that the same be like wise ratified among you Saint Chrysostome who lived An. 405. writeth thus In all places wheresoever you goe into any Church whether it be of the Moores or of the Persians or even of the very Iles of Britaine you may heare Iohn Baptist preaching Saint Ierome who lived Anno 420. writeth thus The French-men the English-men they of Africa they of Persia and all barbarous Nations worship one Christ and observe one rule of religion Theodoret who lived Anno 450. writeth thus The blessed Apostles have induced English-men the Danes the Saxons in one word all people and countries to embrace the doctrine of Christ. Gregory the Great who lived An. 605. writeth thus Who can sufficiently expresse how glad all the faithfull are for that the English-men have forsaken the darknesse of their errours and have againe received the light of the Gospell Beda who lived Anno 730. writeth thus England at this present is inhabited by English-men Britaines Scots Picts and Romans all which though they speake severall tongues yet they professe but one faith Thus you see how the Gospell of Christ having beene first planted in this Land by Ioseph of Arimathea and Simon Zelotes in whose time Aristobulus and Claudia and not long after King Lucius also lived hath ever since continued amongst us as testifieth Tertullian Origen Constantine the Great Athanasius Chrysostome Ierome Theodoret Gregory Beda and many more which might here have beene alleaged Now how singular and exquisite a benefit have our Progenitours received by meanes of these faithfuâ—l professours of the Gospell and first planters of the Christian faith here in this Iland What a miserable famine of the Word had the people of this Land sustained if these faithfull friends and sincere Witnesses of the truth had not loosed from the shore and embarked themselves in danger to deliver them from the danger of soules shipwracke In which danger we likewise had beene sharers had not this so rich a fraught so inestimable a prize rescued us from danger and directed our feet in the way of peace The story of Theseus includes an excellent Morall whose love to his deare friend Perithous the Poet labouring to expresse shewes how he went downe to hell of purpose to deliver his friend from the thraldom of Pluto under whom he remained captive Which without offence or derogation may properly seeme to allude next to that inimitable mirrour of divine amitie to these noble and heavenly Warriours who descended as it were even to the jawes of hell encountring with the insolent affronts of many barbarous Assassinates readie to practise all hostilitie upon them Yet see their undanted spirits their godly care inflamed with the zeale of devotion and their love to the members of Christ kindled with the coale of brotherly compassion made them as readie to endure as those hellish fiends and furies the enemies of the truth were ready to inflict choosing rather to perish in the bodie than to suffer the poorest soule bought with so high a price to be deprived of the hope of glory These were good and kinde friends being such as would not sticke to lay downe their lives for their friends suffering all things with patience and puissance of minde to free their distressed brethren from the servile yoke of hellish slavery and bring them by meanes of Gods Spirit by which they were directed to the knowledge of the all-seeing veritie Such as these professe not friendship under pretences or glozing semblances making their heart a stranger to their tongue or walking invisible as if they had found the stone in the Lapwings nest but as they are so they appeare affecting nothing but what is sincerely good and by the best approved Their absolute ayme or end of friendship is to improve reprove correct reforme and conforme the whole Image of that man with whom they converse
which so long as it is darkened with these bleere-eyed Leahs these objects of vanity cannot enjoy it selfe but peece-meale as it were divided from it selfe seemes wholly deprived of life for a Heart divided cannot live And what are these objects of vanity whereon the eye of your Contemplation is usually fixed but those soule-soiling sores of this Land Pride and Voluptuousnesse With what greedinesse will a young gallants eye gaze upon some new or phantasticke fashion wishing O vaine wish that he had but the braines to have invented such a fashion whereby he might have given occasion to others of imitation and admiration With what insatiablenesse will he fix his eye upon some light affected Curtezan whose raiment is her onely ornament and whose chiefest glory is to set at sale her adulterate beauty No street no corner but gives him objects which drawes his eye from that choicest object whereon his whole delight should be seated No place so obscure wherein his Contemplative part is not on the view of forbidden objects greedily fixed How requisite then were it for you young Gentlemen whose aymes are more noble than to subject them to these unworthy ends to take a view sometimes of such absolute Patternes of Contemplative Perfection as have excelled in this kinde But because a three-fold cord is hardly broken I will recommend unto your consideration a three-fold Meditation the daily use and exercise whereof may bring you to a more serious view of your owne particular estate First is the worthinesse of the soule secondly the unworthines of earth thirdly thankefulnes unto God who made man the worthiest creature upon earth For the first What is she and in glory how surpassing is she to use the selfe-same words which an holy Father useth being so strong so weake so small so great searching the secrets of God and contemplating those things which are of God and with her piercing wit is knowne to have attained the skill of many Arts for humane profit and advantage What is shee I say who knoweth so much in other things and to what end they were made yet is wholly ignorant how herselfe was made A Princesse surely for as a Queene in her Throne so is the soule in the body being the life of the body as God is the life of the soule being of such dignity as no good but the Supreme good may suffice it of such liberty as no inferiour thing may restraine it How then is the soule of such worthinesse as no exteriour good may suffice it nor no inferiour thing restraine it How comes it then that it stoopes to the Lure of vanity as one forgetfull of her owne glory How comes it then to be so fledged in the bird-lime of inferiour delights as nothing tasteth so well to her palate as the delights of earth Surely either she derogates much from what she is or there is more worthinesse on earth than wee hold there is Having then taken a short view of the dignity or worthinesse of the soule let us reflect a little upon the unworthinesse of Earth and see if we can finde her worthy the entertainment of so glorious a Princesse Earth as it is an heavie element and inclineth naturally downward so it keeps the earthly minded Moule from looking upward There is nothing in it which may satisfie the desire of the outward senses much lesse of the inward For neither is the eye satisfied with seeing be the object never so pleasing nor the eare with hearing be the accent never so moving nor the pallat with tasting be the Cates never so relishing nor the nose with smelling be the Confection never so perfuming nor the hand with touching be the Subject never so affecting And for those sugred pills of pleasure though sweet how short are they in continuance and how bitter being ever attended on by repentance And for honours those Snow-balls of greatnesse how intricate the wayes by which they are attained and how sandie the foundation wheron they are grounded How unworthy then is Earth to give entertainment to so princely a guest having nothing to bid her welcome withall but the refuse and rubbish of uncleannesse the garnish or varnish of lightnesse For admit this guest were hungrie what provision had Earth to feed her with but the Huskes of vanity If thirstie what to refresh her with but with Worme-wood of folly If naked what to cloath her with but the cover of mortality If imprisoned how to visit her but with fetters of captivity Or if sicke how to comfort her but with additions of misery Since then the worthinesse of the soule is such as Earth is too unworthy to entertaine her expedient it were that she had recourse to him that made her and with all thankefulnesse tender herselfe unto him who so highly graced her Let man therefore in the uprightnesse of a pure and sincere soule weaned from Earth and by Contemplation already sainted in heaven say What shall I render unto thee O my God for so great benefits of thy mercy What praises or what thanksgiving For if the knowledge and power of the blessed Angels were presenâ— with me to assist mee yet were I not able to render ought worthy of so great piety and goodnesse as I have received from thee yea surely if all my members were turned into tongues to render due praise unto thee in no case would my smalnesse suffice to praise thee for thy inestimable charitie which thou hast shewne to me unworthy one for thy onely love and goodnesse sake exceedeth all knowledge Neither is it meet that the remembrance of a benefit should be limitted by day or date but as the benefits we receive are daily so should our thankfulnes be expressed daily lest by being unthankfull God take his benefits from us and bestow them on such as will be thankfull And let this suffice for the Contemplative part of Perfection descending briefly to that part which makes the Contemplative truly perfect by Action WE are now to treat of that which is easier to discourse of than to finde for men naturally have a desire to know all things but to doe nothing so easie is the Contemplative in respect of the Active so hard the Practicke in respect of the Speculative How many shall we observe daily propounding sundry excellent Observations divine Instructions and Christian-like Conclusions touching contempt of the world wherein this Active Perfection principally consisteth yet how farre short come they in their owne example so easie it is to propound matter of instruction to others so hard to exemplifie that instruction in themselves This may be instanced in that Ruler in the Gospell who avouched his integritie and Perfection concluding that hee had kept all those Commandements which Christ recounted to him from his youth up yet when Christ said unto him Sell all that thou hast and distribute unto the poore and thou shalt have treasure in heaven and
bodie repaire it with an upright soule Art thou outwardly deformed with spirituall graâ—â—â— be thou inwardly beautified Art thou blinde or lame or otherwise maimed be not there with dejected for the Blâ—nd and Lame were invited It is not the outward proportion but the inward disposition not the feature of the face but the power of grace which worketh to salvaâ—â—â—on Alcibiades Socrates scholer was the best favoured Boy in Athens yet to use the Philosophers words looke but inwardly into his bodie you will finde nothing more odious So as one compared them aptly these faire ones I meane to faire and beautifull Sepulchres Exterius nitida interius faetida outwardly hansome inwardly noysome Notable was that observation of a learned Philosopher who professing himselfe a Schoole-master to instruct Youth in the principles and grounds of Philosophie used to hang a Looking-glasse in the Schoole where he taught wherein he shewed to every scholer he had his distinct feature or physnomy which he thus applied If any one were of a beautifull or amiable countenance hee exhorted him to answer the beautie and comlinesse of his face with the beautie of a well-disposed or tempered minde if otherwise he were deformed or ill featured he wished him so to adorne and beautifie his minde that the excellencie of the one might supply the defects or deformities of the other But thou objectest How should I expresse my descent my place or how seeme worthy the company of eminent persons with whom I consort if I should sleight or disvalue this general-affected vanity Fashion I will tell thee thou canst not more generously I will not say generally expresse thy greatnes of descent place or qualitie nor seeme better worthy the company with whom thou consortest or frequentest than by erecting the glorious beames of thy minde aboue these inferiour things For who are these with whom thou consortest meere triflers away of time bastard slips degenerate impes consumers of their patrimonie and in the end for what other end save misery may attend them Haires to shame and infamie These I say who offer their Morning-prayers to the Glasse eying themselves 〈◊〉 till Narcissus-like they fall in love with their owne shadowes O England what a height of pride art thou growne to yea how much art thou growne unlike thy selfe when disvaluing thy owne forme thou deformest thy selfe by borrowing a plume of everie Countrey to display thy pie-coloured flag of vanitie What painting purfling powdring and pargeting doe you use yee Idolls of vanitie to lure and allure men to breake their first faith forsake their first love and yeeld to your immodestie How can you weepe for your sinnes saith Saint Hierome when your teares will make furrowes in your face With what confidence do you lift up that countenance to heaven which your Maker acknowledges not Doe not say that you have modest mindes when you have immodest eyes Death hath entred in at your windowes your eyes are those cranies those hatefull portells those fatall entrances which Tarpeia-like by betraying the glorious fortresse or cittadell of your soules have given easie way to your mortall enemie Vtinam miserrimus ego c. I would I poore wretch saith Tertullian might see in that day of Christian exaltation An cum cerussa purpurisso croco cum illo ambitu capitis resurgatis No you stanes to modestie such a Picture shall not rise in glory before her Maker There is no place for you but for such women as array themselves in comely apparell with shamefastnesse and modestie not with broided haire or gold or pearles or costly apparell But as becommeth women that professe the feare of God For even after this manner in time past did the holy women which trusted in God tire themselves Reade I say reade yee proud ones yee which are so haughtie and walke with stretched-out neckes the Prophet Isaiah and you shall find your selves described and the judgement of Desolation pronounced upon you Becaâ—se the Daughters of Zion are haughtie and walk with streâ—ched-out neckes and with wandring eyes walking 〈◊〉 minsing as they goe and making a tinckling with theâ—â— feet therfore shall the Lord make the heads of the daughters of Zion bald and the Lord shall discover their secret parts And he proceeds In that day shall the Lord take away the ornament of the slippers and the calles and the round tyres The sweet balles and the bracelets and the bonnets The tyres of the head and the sloppes and the head-bands and the tablets and the eare-rings The rings and the mufflers The costly apparell and the gâ—ailes and the wimples and the crisping-pins And the glasses and the fine linnen and the hoods and the launes Now heare your reward And in stead of sweet savour there shall be stinke and in stead of a girdle a rent and in stead of dressing of the haire baldnesse and in stead of a stomacher a girding of sack-cloth and burning in stead of beautie Now attend your finall destruction Thy men shall fall by the sword and thy strength in the battell Then shall her gates mourne and lament and shee being desolate shall sit upon the ground See how you are described and how you shall be rewarded Enjoy then sin for a season and delight your selves in the vanities of Youth be your eyes the Lures of Lust your eares the open receits of shame your hands the polluted instruments of sinne to be short be your Soules which should be the Temples of the Holy Ghost cages of uncleane birds after all these things what the Prophet hath threatned shal come upon you and what shall then deliver you not your Beautie for to use that divine Distich of Innocentius Tell me thou earthen vessell made of clay What 's Beautie worth when thou must die to day Nor Honour for that shall lye in the dust and sleepe in the bed of earth Nor Riches for they shall not deliver in the day of wrath Perchance they may bring you when you are dead in a comely funerall sort to your graves or bestow on you a few mourning garments or erect in your memory some gorgeous Monument to shew your vain-glory in death as well as life but this is all Those Riches which you got with such care kept with such feare lost with such griefe shall not afford you one comfortable hope in the houre of your passage hence afflict they may releeve they cannot Nor Friends for all they can doe is to attend you and shed some friendly teares for you but ere the Rosemary lose her colour which stickt the Coarse or one worme enter the shroud which covered the Corpse you are many times forgotten your former glory extinguished your eminent esteeme obscured your repute darkened and with infamous aspersions often impeached If a man saith Seneca finde his friend sad and so leave him sicke without ministring any comfort to him and poore without releeving him we may thinke such an one
goeth to jest rather than visit or comfort and such miserable comforters are these friends of yours What then may deliver you in such gusts of affliction which assaile you Conscience shee it is that must either comfort you or how miserable is your condition Shee is that continuall feast which must refresh you those thousand witnesses that must answer for you that light which must direct you that familiar friend that must ever attend you that faithfull counsellour that must advise you that Balme of Gilead that must renew you that Palme of peace which must crowne you Take heed therefore you wrong not this friend for as you use her you shall finde her She is not to be corrupted her sinceritie scornes it Shee is not to be perswaded for her resolution is grounded She is not to be threatned for her spirit sleights it She is aptly compared in one respect to the Sea shee can endure no corruption to remaine in her but foames and frets and chafes till all filth be removed from her By Ebbing and flowingâ—s â—s shee purged nor is she at rest till shee be rinsed 〈◊〉 ab agro ad civitatem à publico ad domum à domo in cubiculum c. Discontentedly shee flies from the Field to the Citie from publike resort to her private house from her house to her chamber She can rest in no place Furie dogs her behinde and Despaire goes before For Conscience being the inseparable glory or confusion of every one according to the qualitie disposition or dispensation of that Talent which is given him for to whom much is given much shall be required We are to make such fruitfull use of our Talent that the Conscience wee professe may remaine undefiled the faith wee have plighted may be inviolably preserved the measure or Omer of grace we have received may be increased and God in all glorified Which the better to effect wee are to thinke how God is ever present in all our actions and that to use the words of Augustine Whatsoever we doe or addresse our selves to doe it is before him that we doe yea whatsoever it be that wee doe hee better knowes it than we are selves doe It was Seneca's counsell to his friend Lucilius that whensoever he went about to doe any thing he should imagine Cato or Scipio or some other worthy Roman to be in presence In imitation of so divine a Morall let us in every action fix our eye upon our Maker Whose eyes are upon the children of men so shall we in respect of his sacred presence to which we owe all devout reverence Abstaine from evill doe good seeke peace and ensue it Such as defil'd themselves with sinne by giving themselves over unto pleasure staining the Nobilitie and splendour of their Soules through wallowing in vice or otherwise fraudulently by usurpation or base insinuation creeping into Soveraigntie or unjustly governing the Common-weale such thought Socrates that they went a by-path separated from the counsell of the â—â—ds but such as while they lived in their bodies â—nitated the life of the gods such hee thought had an â—sie returne to the place from whence they first came If the Pagan had such a divine conceit of those whose approved life represented a certaine similitude or resemblance of God as he imagined no glory could be wanting to them in regard of their integritie let us embrace the like opinion and expresse such apparent demonstrations of sanctitie that as we exceed the Pagan in regard of that precious light wee enjoy so wee may exceed him in the conversation of the life we lead But how should these painted Sepulchres whose adulterate shape tastes of the shop glorying in a borrowed beautie ever meditate of these things How should their care extend to heaven whose Basiliske eyes are only fixed on the vanities of earth How should that painted blush that Iewish confection blush for her sin whose impudent face hath out-faced shame Two Loves saith that learned Bishop of Hippo make two Cities Hierusalem is made by the love of God but Babylon by the love of the world And these are they who engaged to worldly love have forsaken their true love they have divided their hearts and estranged their affections from that Supreme or Soveraigne good O then Young men come not neere the gates of this strange woman whose feet goe downe to death and whose steps take hold on hell This is the woman with an Harlots behaviour and subtill in heart This is shee who hath deckt her bed with ornaments carpets and laces of Aegypt and perfuming her Bed with Myrrhe Aloes and Cynamon Take heed thou sing not Lysimachus song The pleasure of fornication is short but the punishment of the fornicator eternall But of this Subject wee are more amply to treat hereafter onely my exhortation is to Youth whose illimited desires tend ever to his ruine that if at any time it be your fortune to encounter with these infectious ulcers these sin-soothing and soule-soiling Lepers and they like that whorish woman in the Proverbs invite you to their lothed daliance saying Come let us take our fill of love untill the morning Come let us take our pleasure in daliance that you shake off these vipers at the first assault and prevent the occasion when it first offers it selfe For know that which a devout and learned Father saith concerning the dangerous Habit of sinne is most true Prima est quasi titillatio delectationis incorde secunda consensio tertium factum quarta consuetudo Sinne begins with an itch but ends with a skar The first degree begins with delight the second with consent the third with act and the fourth with custome Thus Sinne by degrees in men of all degrees like a broad-spreading tetter runnes over the whole beautie of a precious soule exposing the fruits of the spirit to be corrupted by the suggestion of the flesh But too farre I feare mee have I digressed from this last branch whereof I was to discourse to wit of Habit or Attire albeit I haue enlarged my selfe in nothing which may seeme altogether impertinent to our present purpose For discoursing of the vanitie of women whose phantasticke Habits are daily Theames in publike Theatres I imagined it a necessary point to insist upon partly to disswade those Shee-painters of this flourishing Iland from so base and prostitute practice Base for Festus Pompeius saith that common and base whores called Schaenicolae used dawbing of themselves though with the vilest stuffe Partly to bring a loathing of them in the conceit of all young Gentlemen whose best promising parts use often to be corrupted by their inchantments 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. there is one flower to be loved of women a good red which is shamefastnesse Saint Hierom to Marcella saith that those women are matter of scandall to Christian eyes Quae purpurisso quibusdam fucis ora oculosâ—
they give advantage to him with whom they have to deale of making his owne bargaine upon such Termes as shall best please him for how should one mans judgement equall a whole judicious Counsell So as in dealing with cunning persons wee must ever consider their ends to interpret their Speeches and it is good to say little to them and that which they least looke for The other sort tie themselves something more strictly or precisely to their Commission for these will be loth to disgresse from it in matters of weight and substance but rather in some impertinent ceremony or circumstance as wee read in the generall Historie of Spaine that there came two Embassadours out of France unto King Alfonfe the ninth to demand one of his daughters in mariage for their Soveraigne King Philip one of which Ladies was very faire and named Vrraca the other nothing so gracious and called Blanch. They both comming into the presence of the Embassadours all men held it a matter resolved that their choice would light upon Vrraca as the elder and fairer and better adorned but the Embassadours enquiring each of their names tooke offence at the name of Vrraca and made choice of the Lady Blanch saying that her name would be better received in France than the other For matters of such indifferencie as these it is not to be doubted but they are left to the discretion of the instrument but for affaires of State as they require due deliberation in discussing so require they the joynt assent and approbation of the State ere they come to concluding THere are likewise publike imployments wherein Gentlemen upon occasion may be interessed which extend themselves to military affaires in which as it is not the death but the cause of the death which makes a Martyr so it is not the action but the ground of the action which merits the name of valour That act of Razis in taking out his owne bowels and throwing them upon the people it was an act saith S. Austin that tasted more of stoutnesse than goodnesse For what could that act of his benefit his Countrey wherein could it adde spirit to the distressed Maccabees wherein allay the heavy burden of their affliction or minister the least releefe in the time of their persecution That act of resolution by that noble Bohemian as it tasted more of true valour so it reared a columne of perpetuitie to his ever-living honour which exploit is thus recorded When Mahomet the second of that name besieged Belgrade in Servia one of his Captains at length got up upon the wall of the City with banner displayed Another Bohemian espying this ran to the Captaine and clasping him fast about the middle asked one Capistranus standing beneath whether it would be any danger of damnation to his soule if hee should cast himselfe downe headlong with that dogge so he termed the Turke to be slaine with him Capistranus answering that it was no danger at all to his soule the Bohemian forthwith tumbled himselfe down with the Turke in his armes and so by his owne death only saved the life of all the City The like worthy exploits might be instanced in those heires of fame the Rhodians in the siege of their City the Knights of Malta in their sundry defeats and discomfitures of the Turks the inhabitants of Vienna who being but a handfull in comparison of their enemies gave them not only the repulse but wholly defeated their designes This Valour or Fortitude which indeed appeareth ever in the freest and noblest minds is excellently defined by the Stoicks to be A vertue ever fighting in defence of equitie These who are professors of so peerelesse a vertue are more ready to spare than to spill their aimes are faire and honest free from the least aspersion either of crueltie or vaine-glory for as they scorne to triumph over an afflicted foe so they dislike that conquest unlesse necessitie enforce it which is purchased by too much bloud The Salmacian Spoiles rellish better to their palate for they are so full of noble compassion as the death of their enemy enforceth in them teares of pity This appeared in those princely teares shed by Caesar at the sight of Pompeys head and in Titus that Darling of Mankind in those teares hee shed at the sight of those innumerable slaughters committed upon the Iewes Now as my purpose is not to insist on the postures of warre so I intend not to dwell upon every circumstance remarkable in martiall affaires but upon the maine scope of military discipline whereto every generous and true bred Souldier is to direct his course Let your aime be therefore Gentlemen to fight for the safetie and peace of your Countrey in the defence of a good conscience which is to be preferred before all the booties of warre for as you have received your birth and breeding from your Countrey so are you to stand for her even to the sacrifice of your dearest lives provided that the cause which you entertaine in her defence be honest without purpose of intrusion into anothers right or labouring to enlarge her boundiers by an unlawfull force For howsoever the ancient Heathens were in this respect faultie being some of them Truce-breakers others violent intruders or usurpers of what was little due unto them wee for our parts have learned better things being commanded noâ— to take any thing from any man but in all things learne to be contented But of all enterprizes worthy the acceptance of a Gentleman in this kinde if I should instance any one in particular none more noble or better deserving as I have elsewhere formerly touched than to warre against the Turke that profest enemy of Christendome the increase of whose Empire may be compared to the milt in mans body for the grandure of it threatens ruine and destruction to all Christian States drawing light to his Halfe Moone by darkening of others and shewing even by the multitude of his insolent Titles what his aimes be if the Lord put noâ— a hooke in the nose of that Leviathan Praise-worthy therefore are those glorious and no doubt prosperous expeditions of such English and other Christian Voluntaries as have stood and even at this day doe stand engaged in personall service against the great Turke for these though they perish in the battell shall survive time and raise them a name out of the dust which shall never be extinguished These are they who fight the Lords battell and will rather die than it should quaile These are those glorious Champions whose aime is to plant the blessed tidings of the Gospell once againe in that Holy Land which now remaines deprived of those heavenly Prophets which shee once enjoyed of those godly Apostles which she once possessed of that sweet Singer of Israel with which her fruitfull coasts once resounded O Gentlemen if you desire imployment in this kinde what enterprize more glorious
〈◊〉 for a publike prostitute Likewise his killing of Callisthenes being one whom he so dearly affected as hee was never well but when hee enjoyed his company Of both which facts hee so repented as it was long ere hee would bee comforted Neither onely such as hee who was a Souldier and therefore might seeme rather to claime in some sort a liberty in this kinde for of all others wee observe such as these to bee more addicted to these distempers than others whose more civill and peaceable conversation have inured them to a better temper but even those I say whose sincerity of life and severity of discipline had gained them all esteme in their Countrey have beene likewise branded with this aspersion As Censorius Cato than whom none more strict or regular Asinius Pollio than whom none more gracious or popular Solon than whom none more legall Archesilaus than whom none more formall Yet if wee did but note how much this vice was by the Pagans themselves abhorred and how they laboured to prevent the very meanes whereby this vice might be either cherished or introduced wee would wonder that moderation in a Heathen should be so weakly seconded by a Christian Amongst them kinsmen kissed their kinswomen to know whether they drunke wine or no and if they had to be punished by death or banished into some Iland Plutarch saith That if the Matrons had any necessity to drinke wine either because they were sicke or weake the Senate was to give them licence and not then in Rome neither but out of the City And how much it was hated may appeare by the testimonie of Macrobius who saith That there were two Senatours in Rome chiding and the one called the others wife an Adulteresse and the other his wife a Drunkard and it was judged that to bee a Drunkard was more infamy Thus you see even in Pagans who had but onely the light of Nature to direct them how loth they were to drowne the light of reason through drunkennesse being indeed as a good Father well observeth An enemy to the knowledge of God To conclude then this first point may it bee farre from you Gentlemen to deprive your selves of that which distinguisheth you from beasts make not that an exercise or Recreation which refresheth not but darkeneth the understanding Drinke you may and drinke wine you may for wee cannot allow the device of Thracius but we must disallow Saint Pauls advice to Timothy Vse a little wine for thy stomacks sake and thine often infirmities So as you are not injoyned such a strict or Laconian abstinence as if you were not to drinke wine at all for being commanded not to drinke it is to be implyed not to use drunkennesse wherein is excesse for in many places are wee allegorically and not literally to cleave to the Text. As for Origen strange it is that perverting so many other places by Allegories onely he should pervert one place by not admitting an Allegory For our Lord commanding to cut off the foot or any part of the body which offendeth us doth not meane we should cut off our members with a knife but our carnall affections with a holy and mortified life whence it is that Origen was iustly punished by using too little diligence where there was great need because he used too great diligence where there was little need No lesse worthy was Democritus errour of reproving who was blinded before hee was blinde for a Christian need not pâ—t out his eyes for feare of seeing a woman since howsoever his bodily eye see yet still his heart is blinde against all unlawfull desires Neither was Crates Thebanus well advised who did cast his money into the Sea saying Nay sure I will drowne you first in the Sea rather than you should drowne me in covetousnesse and care Lastly Thracius of whom Aulus Gellius writeth was for any thing that I can see even at that time most of all drunken when hee cut downe all his vines lest hee should bee drunken No I admit of no such strict Stoicisme but rather as I formerly noted to use wine or any such strong drinke to strengthen and comfort Nature but not to impaire her strength or enfeeble her For as by a little we are usually refreshed so by too much are wee dulled and oppressed There are some likewise and these for most part of the higher sort I could wish they were likewise of the better sort who repaire to the House of the strange woman sleeping in the bed of sinne thinking so to put from them the evill day And these are such as make whoredome a Recreation sticking not to commit sinne even with greedinesse so they may cover their shame with the curtaine of darknesse But that is a wofull Recreation which brings both soule and body to confusion singing Lysimachus song Short is the pleasure of Fornication but eternall is the punishment due to the Fornicator so as though hee enjoy pleasure for a time hee shall bee tormented for ever But consider this Gentlemen you I say whose better breeding hath instructed you in the knowledge of better things that if no future respect might move you as God forbid it should not move and remove you from these licentious delights yet respect to the place whence you descended the tender of your credit which should be principally valued the example which you give and by which inferiours are directed should bee of force to weane you from all inordinate affections the end whereof is bitternesse though the beginning promise sweetnesse It was Demosthenes answer unto Lais upon setting a price of her body Non emam tanti paenitere sure I am howsoever this Heathen Orator prized his money above the pleasure of her body and that it was too deare to buy repentance at so high a rate that it is an ill bargaine for a moments pleasure to make shipwracke of the soules treasure exposing reputation and all being indeed the preciousest of all to the Object of lightnesse and Subject of basenesse paying the fraught of so short a daliance with a long repentance Wherefore my advice is unto such as have resorted to the House of the strange woman esteeming it only a tricke of youth to keepe their feet more warily from her wayes For her house draweth neere unto death and her paths unto Hell So as none that goe in unto her shall returne neither shall they understand the wayes of life Let such as have herein sinned repent and such as have not herein sinned rejoyce giving thankes to God who hath not given them up for a prey to the lusts of the flesh craving his assistance to prevent them hereafter that the flesh might be ever brought in subjection to the spirit For as the Lionesse having beene false to the Lion by going to a Libard and the Storke consorting with any other besides her owne mate wash themselves before
much on his owne advice as if all wit and wisdome were treasured in his braine Is he wise who being sicke would not be visited poore and would not be succoured afflicted and would not be comforted throwne downe and would not be raised Surely in the same case is he who sleights the purchace of a friend preferring his owne profit before so inestimable a prize There is none whether he be valiant or a profest coward but may stand in need of a friend in a corner For be hee valiant hee stands in need of a friend to second him if a coward he needs one to support him Therefore whosoever wanteth fortitude whether it be in minde or bodie let him embrace friendship for if his weaknesse proceed from the minde hee shall finde a choice receit in the breast of his friend to strengthen and corroborate him so as griefe may assaile or assault him but it cannot dismay or amate him Againe if his weaknesse proceed from the bodie that weaknesse is supplied by the strength of his friend who will be an eye to direct him and a foot to sustaine him Telephus when he could finde none amongst his friends to cure his wound permitted his enemie to doe it and he who purposed to kill Prometheus the Thessalian opened his impostume with his sword If such effects have proceeded from enmitie what rare and incredible effects may be imagined to take their beginning from amitie Than which as nothing is stricter in respect of the bond so nothing is more continuate in respect of the time being so firme as not to be dissolved so strict as not to be anulled so lasting as never to be ended Neither is this benefit derived from friend to friend onely restrained to matters of action or imployment but extendeth it selfe to exercises of pleasure and recreation For tell me what delight can any one reape in his pleasure wanting a friend to partake with him in his pleasure Takes he delight in Hunting let him choose Acquaintance that may suit him in it not onely a Hunter but one whose conceit if occasion serve can reach further such an one I would have him as could make an Embleme of the Forest where hee raungeth compose a Sonnet on the Objects which he seeth and fit himselfe for ought hee undertaketh Of which ranke was that merry Epigrammatist as it may be imagined who being taxed for wearing a horne and could not wind it made this replie My friend did tax me seriously one morne That I should weare yet could not wind the horne And I repli'd that he for truth should finde it Many did weare the Horne that nere could wind it Hows'ere of all that Man may weare it best Who makes claime to it as his ancient Crest To interveine conceits or some pleasant jests in our Recreations whether discursive or active is no lesse delightfull than usefull but these jests should be so seasoned as they may neither taste of lightnesse nor too much saltnesse Iests festive are oft-times offensive they incline too much to levitie jests civill for into these two are all divided are better relishing because mixed with more sobrietie and discretion Catullus answer to Philippus the Atturney was no lesse wittie than bitter for Catullus and he being one day at high words together Why barkest thou quoth Philippus Because I see a Theefe answered Catullus He shewed himselfe a quick Anatomist who branched man into three parts saying That man had nothing but substance soule and bodie Lawyers dispose of the substance Physitians of the bodie and Divines of the soule Present and pregnant was Donato's answer to a young Gentleman who beholding a brave company of amorous Ladies and Gentlewomen meeting Donato comming towards Rome as one admiring their number and feature said Quot coelum stellas tot habet tua Roma puellas by and by answered Donato Pascua quot haedos tot habet tua Roma-cinaedos Phaedro being asked why in the Collects where Christian Bishops and Pagans be prayed for the Cardinalls were not remembred answered they were included in that prayer Oremus pro haereticis schismaticis Well requited was that young Scholler who giving his Master this Evening salute Domine magister Deus det tibi bonum sero was answered by his Master Et tibi malumcito Wittie but shrewd was that answer of a Disputant in my time to his Moderator in Posterior who demanding of him what the cause should be that he with whom he disputed should have so great a head and so little wit replied Omne majus continet in se minus A base minde was well displayed in that covetous man who unwilling to sell his corne while it was at an high price expecting ever when the Market would rise higher when he saw it afterward fall in despaire hanged himselfe upon a beame of his chamber which his man hearing and making haste cut the rope and preserved his life afterwards when he came to himselfe hee would needs have his man to pay for the cord hee had cut But I approve rather of such jests as are mixed with lesse extremes pleasant was that answer of Scipio Nasica who going to Ennius house in Rome and asking for Ennius Ennius bade his maid tell him he was not within So Ennius on a time comming to Scipio's house and asking whether he was at home I am not at home answered Scipio Ennius wondering thereat Doe I not know that voice quoth hee to be Scipio's voice Thou hast small civilitie in thee answered Scipio that when I beleeved thy maid thou wert not at home yet thou wilt not beleeve me Likewise to retort a jest is an argument of a quicke wit as Leo Emperour of Bizantium answered one who being crook-backt jested at his bleared eyes saying Thou reprochest mee with the defect of nature and thou carriest Nemesis upon thy shoulders Domitius reproaching Crassus that he wept for a Lamprey Crassus answered but thou hast buried three wives without one teare Alexander asking a Pyrate that was taken and brought before him How he durst be so bold to infest the Seas with his pyracie was answered with no lesse spirit That hee played the Pyrate but with one ship but his Majestie with a huge navie Which saying so pleased Alexander that hee pardoned him reaping especiall delight in that similitude of action by which was transported the current of the Kings affection Other Conceits there are more closely couched covertly carried and in silence uttered as that of Bias who when an evill man asked him what goodnesse was answered nothing and being demanded the cause of his silence I am silent quoth he because thou enquirest of that which nothing concernes thee The same Bias sailing on a time with some naughtie men by violence of a tempest the ship wherein they were became so shaken and tossed with waves as these naughty men began to call upon the gods Hold your peace said Bias lest these gods you call
writing to them Themistocles was suspected to be knowne to Pausanias treason although most cleare of himselfe because he wrote unto him For as the nature of man is originally depraved so by consorting with vicious men the arme of sinne becomes strengthened The Fuller as it is in the fable would by no meanes suffer the Collier to dwell with him under one roofe lest hee should soile what he had rinsed Which fable hath a morall relation to the course of our life and the nature of such as wee usually consort with for there is a traffique or commerce as well of manners as persons of vertues and vices as other commodities The Babylonian hath beene naturally said to be arrogant the Theban passionate the Iew envious the Tyrian covetous the Sidonian a rioter the Egyptian a sorcerer neither did these nations keepe these vices to themselves for they induced others likewise to whom they had recourse and commerce to be affected to the like for the very Egyptians had so bewitched Caesar himselfe with their illusions as hee gave great attention to them as Alexander was delighted with the Brachmanes For Vice is such an over-growing or wildespreading weed as there is no soyle wherein it likes not no kinde of nature of what temper soever it invades not and invading surprizeth not To the Body diseases are infectious to the Minde are vices no lesse obnoxious for vices are the diseases of the minde as infirmities breed distempers and diseases to the Body So as whether wee observe the state of Church or Common-weale we shall finde vices to bee of a nature no lesse spreading than diseases neither the state or Symptome of the minde lesse endangered by the infusion of the one than the body by the infection of the other For as the state Politicke is much weakned by the haunt of these vices so is that mourning Dove the Church many times afflicted to see herselfe torne with Schismes and divisions where as Waspes make honey-combes so Marcionists make Churches How needfull then is it to divide our selves from the consorts of vice without entertaining the least occasion that might induce us to give consent to her followers Augustus wore ever about him for preservative against thunder a Seales skinne which Plinie writes checketh lightning as Tiberius wore alwayes about his necke a Wreath of Laurell But let us carrie about us that Moli or herbe of grace whose precious juyce may repell the spells of so inchanting a Syren For as the Vnicornes horne being dipt in water cleares and purifies it so shall this soveraigne receit cure all those maladies which originally proceed from the poyson of vice The mind so long as it is evill affected is miserably infected For so many evills so many Devills first tempting and tainting the soule with sinne then tearing and tormenting her with the bitter sense of her guilt Saint Basil saith that passions rise up in a drunken man like a swarme of Bees buzzing on every side whatsoever that holy Father saith of one vice may be generally spoken of all so as wee may truly conclude with that Princely Prophet They come about us like Bees though they have honey in their thighs they have stings in their tailes wounding our poore soules even unto death Requisite therefore is it to avoid the society of such whose lives are either touched or tainted with any especiall Crime these are dangerous Patternes to imitate yea dangerous to consort with for as the Storke being taken in the company of the Cranes was to undergoe like punishment with them although she had scarce ever consented to feed with them so be sure if we accompany them we shall have a share in their shame though not in their sinne Auoid the acquaintance of these Heires of shame whose affected liberty hath brought them to become slaves to all sensuality and sure ere long to inherit misery Give no care to the Sycophant whose sugred tongue and subtill traine are ever plotting your ruine hate the embraces of all insinuating Sharkes whose smoothnesse will worke on your weaknesse and follow the Poets advice Avoid such friends as feigne and fawne on thee Like Scylla's rocke within Sicilian Sea So dangerous are these Syrenian friends that like the Sicilian shelves they menace shipwracke to the inconsiderate sailer For these as they professe love and labour to purchase friends so their practices are but how to deceive and entrap those to whom they professe love Whence it is that Salomon saith A man that flattereth his Neighbour spreadeth a net for his steps That is he that giveth eare to the flatterer is in danger as the bird is before the Fowler Hee whistleth merrily spreadeth his Nets cunningly and hunteth after his prey greedily And let this suffice to bee spoken for the Timist who professeth observance to his friend onely for his owne end Now Gentlemen as I would not have you to entertaine time with fawnes so neither with frownes The former as they were too light so the latter are too heavy The one too supple the other too surlie For these Timonists for we have done with our Timists as Cicero said of Galba's leaden and lumpish body His wit had an ill lodging are of too sullen and earthy a constitution It is never faire weather with them for they are ever louring bearing a Calender of ill weather in their brow These for the most part are Male-contents and affect nothing lesse than what is generally pleasing appearing in the world naturalized Demophons whose humour was to sweat still in the shadow and snake in the Sunne So as howsoever they seeme seated in another Clime for disposition they are like the Antipodes unto us opposing themselves directly against us in all our courses They are of Democritus mind who said that the truth of things lay hid in certaine deepe mines or caves and what are these but their owne braines For they imagine there can be no truth but what they professe They proclaime defiance to the world saying Thou miserably deluded world thou embracest pleasure wee restraine it Thou for pleasure doest all things wee nothing Now who would not imagine these Stoickes to be absolute men Such as are rare to see on earth in respect of their austeritie of life and singular command over their affections Such as are divided as it were from the thought of any earthly businesse having their Mindes sphered in a higher Orbe Such as are so farre from intermedling in the world as they dis-value him that intends himselfe to negotiate in the world Such as when they see a man given to pleasure or some moderate Recreation whereby he may be the better enabled for other imployments sleight him as a Spender of time and one unfit for the societie of men Such as say unto Laughter Thou art mad and unto joy what meanest thou Such as take up the words of that grave Censor in
to speake more amply in our discourse of Moderation meane time let this lesson be ever imprinted in the Tablet of your memory Impart your Minde but not your Secrets give where you see desert but with such Reservance as it may neither repent you to have given having extended your bountie to such as are thankfull nor grieve you to have discovered your selves having imparted your minde to such as are faithfull IT is a maxime in Philosophie Whatsoever is it is for some end so as all our counsels and consultations businesses and negotiations have ever an eye or ayme to some speciall end to which they are properly directed For as we see in Elementary bodies every one by naturall motion tendeth to their owne proper center as light bodies upward heavie ones downward being places wherein they are properly said to rest or repose even so in Arts and Sciences or the proper Objects to which they are directed and wherein they are peculiarly said to be conversant there is ever a certaine end proposed to which and in which their aymes are limited or confined Whence it is that excellent Morall saith That every Task Labour or Imployment must have reference and respect to some end which the Poet confirmeth saying All things which are must have a proper end To which by course of Nature they doe tend So as in my opinion there is nothing which proceeds in a course more contrary to Nature than Suits of Law whose Object is end without end consuming time and substance in frivolous delayes and multiplicitie of Orders which like Hydra's heads by lopping off or annulling one gives way to decreeing of another Now to enter into discourse of the absolute end of Acquaintance we are as well to reprove the indirect ends which some make of it as approve of those good and absolute ends for which it was ordained Wherefore to come unto the point we are to understand that Acquaintance is nothing else but a familiar friendship or friendly familiaritie which we have one with another Now there is nothing which doth comparably delight the minde like a faithfull friendship being as the Stagyrian Philosopher well defineth it One soule which ruleth two hearts and one heart which dwelleth in two bodies So as of all possessions friendship is most precious where we are to make no other estimate of our friends life than of our owne glory a friend being nothing else than a second selfe and therefore as individuate as man from himselfe How much then is this sweet union or communion of mindes abused when friendship is only made a stale of professing love and familiaritie only for our owne ends And where shall we come where this abuse of friendship and sociable Acquaintance is not practised In the Court we shall finde smooth and sweet-sented friends who make friendship a complement and vow themselves ours in Protests Congies and Salutes but whereto tend they but to winde us in and so become engaged for them For it stands with reason thinke they as wee are familiar with them in complements of courtesie so they should be familiar with vs in the Mercers booke Too precious are these mens Acquaintance and too heavie their engagements let us therefore turne from them and travell towards the Citie And what shall we finde there but many dangerous and subtill friends who like politique Tradesmen having heard of our estates and how we are come to yeares to dispose of them will professe themselves to be our Countrey-men in which respect wee cannot chuse but make bold with them and their commodities rather than any stranger Yet it is strange to see how strangely and unconscionably they will use us making ever their commodities vendible with protestations and binding them upon us with termes of courtesie We must then needs conclude that these men tender friendship but onely for their owne ends We are therefore to seeke further and descend to the Countrey where wee are likest to finde them Yet see the generall infection of this Age We shall finde there even where simplicitie and plaine dealing used ever to keepe home great monied men who to enrich their seldome-prospering Heirs will offer us any courtesie and to shew they love us they will lend us to support our state and maintaine our riot but observe their aymes in feeding us they feed on us in succouring us they soake us for having made a prey of us they leave us Likewise wee shall finde there many Summer-Swallowes and finde that Sentence in them verified Though one Swallow make no Summer yet one mans Summer makes many Swallowes Where then shall we finde them Surely in all these places which we have traced for in the Court we shall finde friends no lesse compleat than complementall in the Citie friends no lesse trustie than substantiall and in the Countrey friends no lesse faithfull than reall Notwithstanding we are taught to beware of our friends and the reason is this for that some man 〈◊〉 a friend for his owne occasion and will not abide in the day of trouble Having now made choice of such friends and Acquaintance as may seeme to deserve both our knowledge and acceptance wee are to respect the ayme or end to which all friendship and Acquaintance may truly and properly be referred Which as we formerly observed is not onely matter of gaine or worldly profit as these Brokers and sellers of amitie esteeme it for as much friendship may be found in Cheape amongst the Huxters or in Smith-field with the Horse-coupers as these professe But rather how we may benefit the inward man by a friendly conversation one with another For which cause as we have else-where noted came Plato forth of Asia into Cilicia to see and converse with his deare friend Phocion Nicaula the rich Saban Queene to visit Salomon Brutus the sincere Roman to converse with Vtican These though Pagans so highly valued knowledge as their ayme was to entertaine friendship with knowing-men purposely to increase at least preserve their knowledge For Learning which is the producer of knowledge hath ever had such exquisite and admirable effects as it hath gained due and deserved esteeme not only in respect of opinion but title and honourable approbation So as Nathan Citraeus writeth that in Prage an Vniversity of Bohemia where Iohn Hus and Hierom of Prag◠professed that they that have continued professours for the space of twentie yeers together are created Earles and Dukes both together And therefore their style is to be called Illustres whereas they which are singly and simply but only either Earles or Dukes are called Spectabiles Neither maketh it any matter that they have no revenewes to maintaine Earledomes or Dukedomes for they have the title notwithstanding even as Suffragans have of Bishops This esteeme of Learning was no lesse effectually expressed by one who encountring with a Scholler who through necessity was enforced to turne begger cryed out A
strictnesse restrained Many reasons whereof might be here produced but wee will cull out the chiefest to weane our Generous Vitellians from their excessive surfets First daintie dishes are foments to wanton affections begetting in the soule an unaptnesse to all spirituall exercises for this is a generall rule that the body being strengthned the soule becomes weakned for fasting is a preparative to Devotion but riot the grand-master of Distraction Looke how it is in the health of the body and so it is in the state of the soule if a man have a good appetite and a stomacke to his meat it is a signe he is well in health in like sort if a man be content to follow Christ for the Loaves to fill his belly and care not for the food of his soule questionlesse all is not well betweene God and him but if he have a longing and an hungring desire of the Word then indeed his heart is upright in the sight of God For as Saint Augustine noteth well If the word of God be taken by us it will take us But what meanes may be used to procure this longing and hungring desire in us Not Luscious or curious fare for that will move us rather to all inordinate motions than the exercise of Devotion no it is fasting that makes the soule to be feasting it is macerating of the flesh that fattens the spirit For it is sumptuous fare that is the soules snare Sagina corporis Sagena cordis It is the net which intangles the heart of man drawing her from the love of her best beloved Spouse to dote on the adulterate embraces of sensuall beautie Neither is it fare but delight in fare not simply the meat but the desire or liquorish appetite which produceth those odious effects as for example when the loose affected man maketh choice or election of such meats purposely to beget in him an abilitie as well as desire to his sensuall pleasures Whence a learned Father most divinely concludeth I feare not saith hee the uncleannesse of meats in respect of their difference but uncleannesse of desire in respect of concupiscence Neither doth the kinde or difference of the meat saith another pollute so much as the act of disobedience eating that which is inhibited Now to propose a rule of direction not any one surer or safer can be set downe than what an ancient Father hath alreadie proposed We nourish our bodies saith he lest by being too much weakned they faile us and we weaken them by abstinence lest by too much feeding them they presse us So then temper your desires that neither too much restraint may enfeeble them nor excesse surcharge them For as the body being weakned the soule becomes strengthned so where the body becomes too much enfeebled the performance of spirituall exercises is disabled But in all things take heed of pampering a disobedient servant hee sleeps in your bosome that imagines mischiefe against you Who the more he is fostered the more is your danger furthered the more he is cockered the more is your heat of devotion cooled chastise then this domesticke enemie in time for he participates of the nature of a Serpent who spreads most his poison where he receives harbouring Now as the Philosophers observe of the Hart that being pursued by dogs in hunting by reason of heat and losse of breath being tired with the chase he hasteneth to the Rivers or wearied in fight with a Serpent or stung or wounded by him while the Serpent resteth on the ground he seeketh to some cold Fountaine whereby the infection of the venome received may be abated and his former vigour restored Even so such as are wounded and strucken of the old Serpent must have recourse to Christ that Fountaine of living waters that all sensuall desires arising from excessive delight in delicious fare may be the better allayed Neither only is restraint to be used in the choice and change of meats but in the excessive use of drinkes The reasons are two the one is it is an enemie to the knowledge of God the other is this it is held to be an enfeebler or impairer of the memorative parts for you shall ever note that deepe drinkers have but shallow memories Their common saying is Let us drowne care in healths which drowning of care makes them so forgetfull of themselves as carried away with a brutish appetite they only intend their present delight without reflexion to what is past or due preparation to what may succeed O restraine then this mighty assailant of Temperance Be ever your selves but principally stand upon your guard when occasion of company shall induce you being the last we are to speake of This Company-keeping how much it hath depraved the hopefullest and towardliest wits daily experience can witnesse For many wee see civilly affected and temperately disposed of themselves not subject to those violent or brain-sick passions which the fumes of drink beget till out of a too pliable disposition they enter the lists of Good-fellowship as they commonly terme it and so become estranged from their owne nature to partake with Zanies in their distempered humour So as in time by consorting with evill men they become exposed to all immoderate affections such is the strength of custome Whence it is that Saint Basil saith Passions rise up in a drunken man note the violence of this distemper like a swarme of Bees buzzing on every side Now you shall see him compassionately passionate resolving his humour into teares anon like a phrenticke man exercising himselfe in blowes presently as if a calmer or more peaceable humour had seazed on him he expresseth his loving nature in congies and kisses So different are the affections which this valiant Mault-worme is subject to yet howsoever out of a desperate Bravado he binde it with oathes that he will stand to his tackling he is scarce to be credited for hee can stand on no ground But to annex some reasons which may effectually disswade every generous-affected spirit from consorting with such Sociats as are a blemish to a Gentleman imagine with your selves how mortally dangerous it is to enter an infected house how fearfull would any one be of the state of his body if hee should have one in his company who had the carbuncle or plague-sore running vpon him how much would he condemne his owne rashnesse to entertaine any such in his companie and with what respect or cautelous advice would he prepare to expell the poison of that infection at least to prevent the occasion no cost might be spared no care intermitted that some soveraigne receit might bee procured whereby the apparent danger into which his inconsiderate rashnesse had brought him might be removed Now if our bodies being but the covers of more curious and exquisite instruments be so especially tendred with what respect ought wee to provide for the safetie or securitie of our soules The
ground of a disease is to mix the sound with the sicke now the soules disease is sinne wherewith she laboureth more painfully than the body can doe being annoyed with any infirmitie Those that are sicke are vicious men whose disease though it bee insensible and in that lesse curable it breakes out into loathsome ulcers which staine the pristine beautie of the soule Now as wee serve so many vices wee serve so many masters and so many masters so many devils each one having so many devils as evils Which miserable servitude to prevent for no slaverie is baser than the service of sinne the best and soveraignest receit that may be applied or ministred to the soule-sicke patient is the receit of aversion to turne aside from the wayes of the wicked and to keepe no company with the transgressour for this aversion from the companions of sinne is a conversion to the God of Sion Would you then have God turne to you turne you from your sinnes Would you be at one with your Maker be ever divided from these sensuall mates so shall you be made happie by the company of your Maker Would you bee found at heart leave to confort with these of an uncircumcised heart whose paths lead to perdition and they that walke therein shall be the heires of shame For howsoever these instruments of sinne as I have sometimes observed may make a shew of godlinesse or pretend meerely under colour to give a varnish to their vicious lives a semblance of goodnesse yet it is but meere painting they deale with they deny the power thereof in their life and conversation A ridiculous Actor in the Citie of Smyrna pronouncing O coelum O heaven pointed with his finger toward the ground which when Polemo the chiefest man in the place saw hee could abide to stay no longer but went from the company in a chafe saying This foole hath made a Solecisme with his hand he hath spoken false Latine with his hand Such ridiculous Actors are these time-spenders they pronounce heaven with their mouth but point at earth with their lives like wise Polemoes therefore stay no longer with them if at any time you have consorted with them for their practice is only to gull the world and with smooth pretences delude their unhappy consorts Their profession is how to play the hypocrite-christian but being unmasked their odious Phisnomies are quickly discovered Make use therefore of your experience and with all Temperance so counterpoize the weight of your passions as none of these assailants though their incursions be never so violent may ever surprize the glorious fortresse of your minde Which the better to effect let Lust be counterpoized by continence Ambition by humblenesse gorgeous apparell by comelinesse luscious fare by abstinence and company-keeping by that sweet seasoner of all vertues Temperance Thus you have heard how as without salt there can be no seasoning no warre without discipline no tillage without manuring no estate without mannaging no building without a foundation so no vertue can subsist without moderation AS wee have hitherto expressed the dignitie or sufficiencie of this vertue in that it giveth subsistence to all other vertues so are wee now to intreat of the amplenesse of it proposing such subjects wherein it is principally said to be conversant Now though there be no humane action which is not subject to many defects being not throughly seasoned by this exquisite vertue yet the use thereof may be reduced to these two as proper subjects wherein it is to be exercised expence of coine and expence of time for without moderation in the one wee should be prodigall of our substance without moderation in the other wee should grow too profuse in the expence of that which is more precious than any earthly substance Now touching worldly substance as wee are to be indifferent for the losse or possession of it so ought wee to be carefull in the use or dispensation of it As it is not to be admired when wee possesse it no more is it to be altogether disesteemed because wee stand in need of the use of it If money be so much to be contemned saith an ancient Father expresse thy bountie shew thy humanitie bestow it upon the poore so may this which of necessitie thou must lose releeve many which otherwise might perish by hunger thirst or nakednesse Thus to bestow it were not prodigally to spend it but to lay it up in a safer Treasurie even in Christs almes-box to the disbursers great advantage Yea but you will object you have other meanes to imploy it in you have a familie to support a posteritie to provide for a state to maintaine and pleasures suiting with your ranke and qualitie to uphold I grant it and you doe well in having a care to your familie for he is worse than an Infidell that wants this care It is commendable likewise in you to have an eye to your posteritie for Nature requires this at your hand To maintaine likewise your state and to continue your pleasures suiting with men of your ranke I allow it But where or in what sort must this be done For the place where surely none fitter than your owne countrey where you were bred setting up there your rest where you received your birth Let your Countrey I say enjoy you who bred you shewing there your hospitalitie where God hath placed you and with sufficient meanes blessed you I doe not approve of these who flie from their Countrey as if they were ashamed of her or had committed something unworthy of her How blame-worthy then are these Court-comets whose only delight is to admire themselves These no sooner have their bed-rid fathers betaken themselves to their last home and removed from their crazie couch but they are ready to sell a Mannor for a Coach They will not take it as their fathers tooke it their Countrey houses must be barred up lest the poore passenger should expect what is impossible to finde releefe to his want or a supply to his necessitie No the cage is opened and all the birds are fled not one crum of comfort remaining to succour a distressed poore one Hospitalitie which was once a relique of Gentrie and a knowne cognizance to all ancient houses hath lost her title meerely through discontinuance and great houses which were at first founded to releeve the poore and such needfull passengers as travelled by them are now of no use but only as Way-marks to direct them But whither are these Great ones gone To the Court there to spend in boundlesse and immoderate riot what their provident Ancestors had so long preserved and at whose doores so many needy soules have beene comfortably releeved Yet see the miserie of many of these rioters Though they consume their meanes yet is the port they live at meane for they have abridged their familie reduced their attendants to a small number and unnecessary expences set aside
cannot so privately retire but feare and horror will awake him nor sly so fast though hee should take the wings of the morning but fury and vengeance will over-take him Having thus far proceeded in the treating of such Subjects wherin Temperance is required and of such assailants by whom shee is usually encountred and impugned it rests now that I impart my advice briefly touching Temperance or Moderation of the Passions of the minde whereof omitting the rest as having else-where discoursed of them I will only and that briefly insist of these two the passions of Ioy and Sorrow This passion to insist on Ioy first requires direction to order our desires aright in the matter of Ioy. Every man loves a glad heart and wisheth Ioy as the fruit of his labours but therein many mistake First one rejoyceth in his Substance he hath gotten much Secondly another rejoyceth in his Promotion Thirdly another doateth upon that mad mirth which Salomon speaks of Fourthly another rejoyceth in a Table richly deckt an over-flowing cup a faring deliciously every day Fifthly another rejoyceth at the destruction of him whom he hates Sixthly another rejoyceth in sinne and wickednesse It is a pastime to a foole to doe wickedly It is the Drunkards joy to be at the cup early and to sit till the wine hath enflamed them The twi-light glads the heart of the Adulterer The Oppressour danceth upon the threshold of him that is oppressed Ismael geereth at Isaac Holy Iob was as a Tabret to the godlesse ones and the Drunkards made songs on David But this is not that Ioy which is required because the foundation of this Ioy is grounded on sinne wherefore we are to finde a Ioy more pure more permanent for the Ioy of the wicked is short but the Ioy of the righteous shall endure for ever This Ioy which we are to seeke and whereon we are to ground our sole content is no carnall but a spirituall Ioy the Ioy of our hearts the divine Melody of our soules concluding with the blessed Apostle God forbid that we should rejoyce in any thing but in the crosse of Christ and him crucified For in this did all the Saints and servants of God joy disvaluing all other joy as unworthy the entertainment of the soule Wee are to rejoyce likewise forasmuch as God hath called us not to uncleannesse but unto holinesse Wee are to rejoyce in the testimonie of a good conscience being that continuall feast which refresheth every faithfull guest Wee are to rejoyce in our brothers aversion from sinne and conversion to God in his prosperitie and successe in his affaires of state But above all things wee are so to moderate our joy in the whole progresse of our life that our joy may the more abound in him who is the crowne of our hope after this life The like directions are required in our moderation of sorrow for there is a sorrow unto death which to prevent understand this by the way that not so much the passion as the occasion enforcing the passion is to be taken heed of Sorrow wee may but not as Ammon did till he had defloured Thamar for that was the sorrow of licentiousnesse Sorrow wee may but not as Ahab did till he had got Naboths vineyard for that was the sorrow of covetousnesse Sorrow wee may but not as Iosephs brethren did grieving that their father should love him more than them for that was the sorrow of maliciousnesse Sorrow wee may but not as Ionah did grieving that the Ninivites were not destroyed for that was the sorrow of unmercifulnesse Lastly sorrow wee may but not as the Gergesenes did grieving for the losse of their swine for that was the sorrow of worldlinesse These sorrowes are not so much to be moderated as wholly abolished because they are grounded on sin but there is a religious and godly sorrow which though it afflict the body it refresheth the spirit though it fill the heart with heavinesse it crowneth the soule with happinesse And this is not a sorrow unto sinne but a sorrow for sinne not a sorrow unto death but a sorrow to cure the wound of death By how much any one saith a good Father is holier by so much in praier are his teates plentifuller Here sounds the Surdon of religious sorrow the awaker of devotion the begetter of spirituall compunction and the sealer of heavenly consolation being the way to those that begin truth to those that profit and life to them that are perfect But alas the naturall man saith the Apostle perceiveth not the things of the spirit of God for they are foolishnesse unto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned It is true and this should move us to more fervour of devotion beseeching the divine assistance to minister strength to our weaknesse that what is wanting in the flesh may be supplied by the spirit yea daily to set our houre-glasse beside us and observe those precious graines the minute treasures of time how swiftly they run thorow the Cruet whereof not one must fall un-numbred for as a haire of the head shall not perish no more shall the least moment of time Now how healthfull were it though the carnall man distaste it to vie teares with graines of sand that our sinnes being as the Sands of the Sea-shore that is numberlesse might be bound up and throwne into the deepe Sea of eternall forgetfulnesse so as they may neither rise up in this life to shame us nor in the world to come to condemne us Surely if you would know those blessed fruits which true penitent sorrow produceth you shall finde that He who sowes in teares shall reape in joy Neither can any one goe to heaven with drie eyes May your teares be so shed on earth that they may be bottled in heaven so shall you bring your sheaves with you and like fine flower being boulted from the bran of corruption receive your portion in the land of the living And may this Sacrifice of teares which you offer up unto him whose eyes are upon all the wayes of the children of men minister like comfort to your soules as they have done to many faithfull members of Christs Church And let this suffice to have beene spoken of such Subjects wherein Moderation is to be used for to speake of Moderation of sorrow for sinne I hold it little necessary seeing most men so insensible are they of their inward wounds come rather short of that sorrow which is required than exceed in any sort the measure that is prescribed AS Moderation in all the precedent subjects is to be used so in all and every of them is it to be limited for to be so Stoically affected as we have formerly noted as not to entertaine so much as modest mirth or approve of the temperate and moderate use of those things which were at first ordained for the
spirit those incessant labours and watchings which the faithfull so willingly undergo if there were no happinesse save onely in enjoying the delights of this life the fruition whereof as they tender no true sweetnesse so are they ever attended by sharpe repentance For howbeit every one be reputed worthy if he be wealthy and nought if he be needy yet when Sinne having three punishments Feare Shame and Guilt Feare of judgement Shame of men and Guilt of conscience shall convent and convict him he shall finde that riches cannot deliver in the day of wrath So as howsoever the sin seeme sweet the sting of sin shall wound his heart For the bread of deceit is sweet to a man but his mouth shall be filled with gravell Likewise the High-minded man whose heart hath beene only set on Titles of Honour howsoever he seem'd raised or reared above the pitch of common earth disdaining these poore wormelings who had the selfe-same Maker though inferiour to this high Cedar in honour when he shall be forced to call Corruption his mother and wormes his brethren and sisters when hee must leave that high Babel which his pride erected those worldly swelling Tumours his slippery honours which hee once enjoyed those Sycophants the followers of greatnesse which he so much affected yea the world it selfe where all his imaginary glory was stored he shall then finde goodnesse to be farre better than greatnesse and worldly dignitie to adde fuell to those Violls which he hath worthily incured Likewise the Voluptuous man as hee hath enjoyed the pleasures of sinne for a season sported him in his beds of Ivory feasted royally fated deliciously and fed all his miserable senses with a loathed satiety he shall feele that the pleasure of sinne was finall but the punishment due to sinne eternall he shall feele a worme ever gnawing never ending fiery teares ever streaming never stinting griefe ever griping never ceasing death ever living never dying yea that worme which gnaweth and dieth not that fire which burneth and quencheth not that death which rageth and endeth not But if punishments will not deterre us at least leâ— rewards allure us The faithfull cry ever for the approach of Gods judgement the reward of immortality which with assurance in Gods mercies and his Sonnes Passion they undoubtedly hope to obtaine with vehemencie of spirit inviting their Mediatour Come Lord Iesus come quickly Such is the confidence or spirituall assurance which every faithfull soule hath in him to whose expresse Image as they were formed so in all obedience are they conformed that the promises of the Gospell might be on them conferred and confirmed Such as these care not so much â—or possessing ought in the world as they take care to lay a good foundation against the day of triall which may stand firme against the fury of all temptation These see nothing in the world worthy their feare This only say they is a fearfull thing to feare any thing more than God These see nought in the world worthy either their desire or feare and their reason is this There is nothing able to move that man to fear in all the world who hath God for his guardian in the world Neither is it possible that he should feare the losse of anything in the world who cannot see any thing worthy having in the world So equally affected are these towards the world as there is nothing in all the world that may any way divide their affection from him who made the world Therefore may we well conclude touching these that their Light shall never goe out For these walke not in darknesse nor in the shadow of death as those to whom the light hath not as yet appeared for the Light hath appeared in Darknesse giving light all the night long to all these faithfull beleevers during their abode in these Houses of Clay Now to expresse the Nature of that Light though it farre exceed all humane apprehension much more all expression Clemens understandeth by that Light which the Wise-woman to wit Christs Spouse kept by meanes of her candle which gave light all the night long the heart and he calleth the Meditations of holy men Candles that never goe out Saint Augustine writeth among the Pagans in the Temple of Venus there was a Candle which was called Inextinguishable whether this be or no of Venus Temple wee leave it to the credit of antiquity only Augustines report we have for it but without doubt in every faithfull hearer and keeper of the Word who is the Temple of the Holy Ghost there is a Candle or Light that never goes out Whence it appeares that the Heart of every faithfull soule is that Light which ever shineth and his faith that virgin Oile which ever feedeth and his Conscience that comfortable Witnesse which assureth and his devoted Zeale to Gods house that Seale which confirmeth him to be one of Gods chosen because a living faith worketh in him which assures him of life howsoever his outward man the temple of his body become subject to death Excellently saith Saint Augustine Whence comes it that the soule dieth because faith is not in it Whence that the bodie dieth because a soule is not in it Therefore the soule of thy soule is faith But forasmuch as nothing is so carefully to bee sought for nor so earnestly to bee wrought for as purity or uprightnesse of the heart for seeing there is no action no studie which hath not his certaine scope end or period yea no Art but laboureth by some certaine meanes or exercises to attaine some certaine proposed end which end surely is to the Soule at first proposed but the last which is obtained how much more ought there to be some end proposed to our studies as well in the exercises of our bodies as in the readings meditations and mortifications of our mindes passing over corporall and externall labours for which end those studies or exercises were at first undertaken For let us thinke with our selves if we knew not or in mind before conceived not whither or to what especiall place we were to run were it not a vaine taske for us undertake to run Even so to every action are wee to propose his certaine end which being once attained wee shall need no further striving towards it being at rest in our selves by attaining it And like end are wee to propose to our selves in the exercise of Moderation making it a subduer of all things which fight against the spirit which may be properly reduced to the practising of these foure overcomming of anger by the spirit of patience wantonnesse by the spirit of continence pride by the spirit of humilitie and in all things unto him whose image wee partake so neerely conformed that like good Proficients wee may truly say with the blessed Apostle Wee have in all things learned to be contented For the first to wit Anger as there is no
graduall So as howsoever we may terme one perfect or complete in respect of some especial qualities wherewith he is endued yet if we come to the true ground of Perfection we shall finde it farre above the Sphere of Mortality to ascend to for man miserable man what is he or of himselfe what can he to make him absolutely perfect Exceed can he in nothing but sinne which is such a naturall imperfection as it wholly detracts from his primitive Perfection Time was indeed when man knew no sinne and in that ignorance from sin consisted his Perfection But no sooner was that banefull Apple tasted than in the knowledge of sinne he became a professant Wee are therefore to discourse of such Perfection as wee commonly in opinion hold for absolute though in very deed it appeare only respective and definite for to treat of that Perfection which is transcendent or indefinite were to sound the Sea or weigh the Mountaines so far it exceedeth the conceit of man yea I say to taske humane apprehension to the discussion of that soveraigne or supreme Perfection were as unequally matched as ever were earth and heaven strength and weaknesse or the great Behemoth and the silliest worme that creepeth in the chinkes of the earth Let us addresse our selves then to this Taske and make this our ground that as no man is simply good but God so no man is absolutely perfect till hee be individually united to God which on earth is not granted but promised not effected but expected not obtained but with confidence desired when these few but evill dayes of our Pilgrimage shall be expired yet is there a graduall Perfection which in some degree or measure wee may attaine becomming conformable unto him whose Image we have received and by whom we have so many singular graces and prerogatives on us conferred And this Perfection is to be procured by assistance of Gods Spirit and a desire in man to second that assistance by an assiduall endevour Which devout and godly endevour that it might be the better furthered and his glory by whose grace we are assisted the more advanced needfull it were to reduce to our memory daily and hourely these two maine Considerations First those three profest Enemies that infatigably assaile us which should make us more watchfull Secondly that faithfull friend who so couragiously fights for us which should make us more thankfull for our Enemies as they are some of them domestick so are they more dangerous for no foe more perillous than a bosome foe Besides they are such pleasing Enemies as they cheere us when they kill us sting us when they smile on us And what is the instrument they worke on but the soule And what the time limited them to work in but our life Which humours do swel up sorrows bring downe heats dry aire infect meat puffe up fasting macerate jests dissolve sadnesse consume care straitneth security deludeth youth extolleth wealth transporteth poverty dejecteth old-age crooketh infirmity breaketh griefe depresseth the Devill deceiveth the world flattereth the flesh is delighted the soule blinded and the whole man perplexed How should wee now oppose our selves to such furious and perfidious Enemies Or what armour are we to provide for the better resisting of such powerfull and watchfull Assailants Certainly no other provision need we than what already is laid up in store for us to arme and defend us and what those blessed Saints and Servants of Christ have formerly used leaving their owne vertuous lives as Patternes unto us Their Armour was Fasting Prayer and workes of Devotion by the first they made themselves fit to pray in the second they addressed themselves to pray as they ought in the third they performed those holy duties which every Christian of necessity ought to performe And first for Fasting it is a great worke and a Christâ—â—â—worke producing such excellent effects as it subjects the flesh to the obedience of the spirit making her of a commander a subject of one who tooke upon her an usurped authority to humble herselfe to the soules soveraignty Likewise Prayer how powerfull it hath beene in all places might be instanced in sundry places of holy Scripture In the Desart where Temptation is the readiest In the Temple where the Devill is oft-times busiest On the Sea where the flouds of perils are the neerest In Peace where security makes men forgetfull'st And in Warre where imminent danger makes men fearfull'st Yea whether it be with Daniel in the Denne or Manasses in the Dungeon whether it be with holy David in the Palace or heavenly Ieremie in the Prison the power and efficacie of Prayer sacrificed by a devout and zealous beleever cannot chuse but be as the first and second raine fructifying the happy soile of every faithfull soule to her present comfort here and hope of future glory else-where Thirdly workes of Devotion being the fruits or effects of a spirituall conversation as ministring to the necessitie of the Saints wherein we have such plenty of examples both in divine and humane writ as their godly charitie or zealous bounty might worthily move us to imitate such blessed Patternes in actions of like Devotion For such were they as they were both liberall and joyed in their liberality every one contributing so much as he thought fit or pleased him to bestow And whatsoever was so collected to the charge or trust of the Governour or Disposer of the stocke of the poore was forth with committed Here was that poore-mans Box or indeed Christs Box wherein the charity of the faithfull was treasured Neither did these holy Saints or Servants of God in their Almes eye so much the quality of the person as his Image whom he did represent And herein they nourished not a sinner but a righteous begger because they loved not his sinne but his natur◠〈◊〉 now because wee are to treat of Perfection in each of these we are to observe such cautions as may make the worke perfect without blemish and pure from the mixture of flesh As first in that godly practice of fasting to observe such mediocritie as neither desire to be knowne by blubbered eyes hanging downe the head nor any such externall passion may tax us to be of those Pharisees whose devotion had relation rather to the observance of man than the service of God neither so to macerate the body as to disable it for performing any office which may tend to the propagation of the glory of the Highest For the first institution of Fasts as it was purposely to subdue the inordinate motions of the flesh and subject it to the obedience and observance of the spirit so divers times were by the ancient Fathers and Councels thought fitting to be kept in holy abstinence of purpose to remove from them the wrath of God inflicted on them by the sword pestilence famine or some other such like plague
S. Gregory instituted certaine publike Fasts resembling the Rogation weeke with such like solemne processions against the plague and pestilence as this Rogation weeke was first ordained by another holy Bishop to that end As for the Ember dayes they were so called of our ancient forefathers in this Countrey because on those fasting dayes men ate bread baked under embers or ashes But to propose a certaine rule or forme of direction there is none surer or safer than that which we formerly proposed So to nourish our bodies that they be not too much weakned by which means more divine offices might be hindred and againe so to weaken our bodies that they be not too much pampered by which meanes our spirituall fervour might be cooled For too delicate is that master who when his belly is crammed would have his mind with devotion crowned Secondly for Prayer as it is to be numbred among the greatest works of charitie so of all others it should be freest from hypocrisie for it is not the sound of the mouth but the soundnesse of the heart which makes this oblation so effectually powerfull and to him that prayeth so powerfully fruitfull It is not beating of the brest with the fist but inward compunction of the heart flying with the wing of faith that pierceth heaven For neither could Trasilla's devotion whereof Gregory relates have beene so powerfull nor Gorgonias supplication whereof Nazianzen reports so fruitfull nor Iames the brother of our Lord his invocation whereof Eusebius records so faithfull nor Paul the Eremites daily oblation whereof Ierome recounts so effectuall if pronunciation of the mouth without affection of the heart beating of the brest without devotion of minde dejection of face without erection of faith had accompanied their prayer For it is not hanging downe the head like a bulrush which argues contrition but a passionate affection of the heart which mounts up to the throne of grace till it purchase remission Thirdly for Almes-deeds and other works of Devotion being the fruits or effects of faith as they are sweet odours and shall not lose their reward being duly practised so wee must take these three cautions by the way lest such sweet fruits be corrupted The first is to give our owne and not anothers for that were robbery The second is to give to the poore and not to the rich in hope of commoditie The third is to give in mercy or fellow-feeling of others wants and not for vaine-glory For howsoever the poore need not care for any of these respects because he is rewarded yet the giver is to care because his reward should hereby become frustrated Certainly there is nothing which relisheth better to the palate of our Maker than ministring releefe to the needy Begger who is Gods begger as a holy Father calls him and therefore should be releeved for his cause that sent him Those Goats set on the left hand doe affright mee not because they were robbers but because they were no feeders saith Nazianzen therefore are wee willed to feed the hunger-starved soule lest want should famish him for if wee suffer him to die for food wee and none but wee did famish him Thus if we observe aright the zealous and religious practice of those blessed Patternes who have gone before us and have left their memorable lives as examples to be imitated by us wee shall in some measure attaine to that Perfection whereof we now discourse labouring so to moderate our affections herein as neither vaine-glory nor any other fleshly respect may interpose it selfe in actions of such maine and serious consequence For albeit as I formerly noted no man may come to that absolute Perfection either in matters of knowledge or practice of life as if nothing could be further attained but that the very highest pitch of perfection were acquired yet are there degrees which in some measure may be attained if those vertues which conduce to this perfection be duly practised For it is not professing of vertue but practising neither practising of one but all which gives life to this perfection For he whom wee sincerely perfect call Excells not in one vertue but in all Which perfection farre exceeds all others derived from some exquisite knowledge in Arts or Sciences for these how absolute soever they be come farre short of that perfection which longer time and experience might bring them to Alcibiades is reported to have beene so skilfull in all Arts and Exercises that he won the prize in what enterprize soever he tooke in hand which was no small glory when in the Olympian or Istmian games he no sooner appeared than those who were to contend with him were forth with dismayed yet came this perfection short of that whereof wee now discourse For it may be probably gathered that albeit hee was the activest in his time on Istmus yet all the activest youths of Greece were not on Istmus or if they were yet the whole world had youths more active and in all parts more absolute than there were in Greece For to seeke perfection on earth either in respect of minde or body either in abilitie of the one or excellencie of the other were in aethere quaererenidum he only being most perfect who acknowledgeth himselfe to be most imperfect Cicero brings in M. Antony saying that there be many follow and yet come not to the perfection Which hee might have instanced the best in himselfe for who for discipline more exquisite for attempts in his owne person more valiant for ripenesse of wit more pregnant or for tongue more powerfully perswasive than M. Antony Yet to observe how much those more excellent parts were disabled that light of understanding darkned that pregnancie of wit rebated that perswasive Orator by a wanton Oratresse seduced yea even that Mirror of men blemished might move us freely and ingenuously to acknowledge as there is nothing more variable than man in respect of his condition so nothing more prone to evill in respect of his naturall corruption So as howsoever hee may seeme in some sort perfect either in moderating his affections with patience or subduing his desires with reason yet there is ever some one defect or other that darkens those Perfections Wherefore as Marius bombasted his stockins to give a better proportion to his small legs if any one would have his good parts set out hee had need to weare some counterfet disguise to cover his wants and so gall the world as Iuno deceived Ixion with a cloud Truth is that the worthiest men have beene stained with some notable crime Caesar though he 〈◊〉 moâ—derate yet was he incontinent Alexander though continent yet was he immoderate Sylla though valiant yet was he violent Galba though eminent yet was he insolent Lucullus generous yet delicious Marcellus glorious yet ambitious Architas patient yet avaritious Archias pregnant yet lascivious So as Homers understanding Platoes wit Diogenes phrase Aeschines Art of
come follow me we reade he was very sorrowfull for he was very rich So miserable and inextricable is the worldlings thraldome when neither the incertainty of this life nor those certaine promises made unto him in hope of a better life can weane him from the blinde affection of earth Necessary therefore it is that he who desires to attaine this Active Perfection unto which all good men labour moderate his desires towards such things as hee hath not and addresse himselfe to an indifferencie of losing those things which hee already hath for he whose desires are extended to more than hee enjoyes or who too exceedingly admires what hee now enjoyes can never attaine that high degree of Active Perfection The reason is no man whose content is seated on these externall flourishes of vanity can direct his Contemplation or erect the eye of his affection to that eternall Sunne of verity whom to enjoy is to enjoy all true Perfection and of whom to be deprived is to taste the bitternesse of deepest affliction Now how are we to enjoy him Not by knowledge only or Contemplation but by seconding or making good our knowledge by Action for we know that there is a Woe denounced on him who knoweth the will of his Father and doth it not when neither his knowledge can plead ignorance nor want of understanding in the Law of God simplicity or blindnesse Wee are therefore not only to know but doe know lest ignorance should misguide us doe lest our knowledge should accuse us Behovefull therefore were it for us to observe that excellent precept of holy Ierome So live saith hee that none may have just cause to speake ill of you Now there is nothing which may procure this good report sooner than labouring to avoid all meanes of scandall as consorting with vitious men whose noted lives bring such in question as accompany them This was the cause as I formerly noted why Saint Iohn would not stay in the Bath wih the Hereticke Corinthus O how many and with much griefe I speake it have we knowne in this little Iland well descended with choicest gifts of nature accomplished of their owne disposition well affected who by consorting with inordinate men have given reines to libertie and blasted those faire hopes which their friends and Country had planted on them how requisite then is it for every one whose thoughts ayme at Perfection to consort with such as may better him and not deprave him informe him and not corrupt him For if there be a kinde of resemblance betwixt the diseases of the body and the vices or enormities of the minde what especiall care are we to take lest by keeping company with those who are already depraved wee become likewise infected Men would be loth to enter any house that is suspected only to be infected which if at unawares they have at any time entred they presently make recourse to the Apothecary to receive some soveraigne receit to expell it And if men be so afraid lest this house the bodie which like a shaken building menaceth ruine daily should perish what great respect ought to be had to the soule which is the guest of the body Shall corruption be so attended and tendred and the precious image of incorruption lessened and neglected God forbid specious or gorgeous Sepulchres are not so to be trimmed that the cost bestowed on them should cause the divine part to be wholly contemned To remove which contempt if any 〈◊〉 there be I will recommend to your devoutest meditation these two particulars First who it was that made us Secondly for what end he made us To which two briefly we intend to referre the Series of this present discourse For the first we are to know that no man is his owne Maker It is he that made us who made all things for us that they might minister unto us and to our necessity ordaining these for our Service and himselfe for our Solace He it is who hath subjected all things to the feet of man that man might wholly become subject unto him yea and that man might become wholly his he gave man absolute dominion over all those workes of his creating all outward things for the body the body for the soule and the soule for himselfe And to what end Even to this end that man might only intend him onely love him possessing him to his Solace but inferiour things to his Service Now to dilate a little upon this great worke of our Creation we may collect from sacred Scripture a foure-fold Creation or Generation The first in Adam who came neither of man nor woman the second in Eue who came of man without woman the third in Christ who came not of man but woman the fourth in us who came both of man and woman For the first as he had from Earth his Creation so it shewed the weaknesse of his composition the vilenesse of his condition with the certainty of his dissolution For the second as she had from man her forming so it figured their firmenesse of union inseparable communion and inviolable affection For the third as he came only of woman so he promised by the Seed of the woman to bruise the Serpents head who had deceived woman and restore man to the state of grace from which he had fallen by meanes of a woman For the fourth as we came both from man and woman so we bring with us into the world that Originall sinne which we derive both from man and woman the sting whereof cannot be rebated but only through 〈◊〉 who became man borne of a woman But in this great worke of our Creation we are not to observe so much the matter as quality and nature of our Creation For the matter of our Creation or that whereof we be composed what is it but vile earth slime and corruption So as howsoever we appeare beautifull specious and amiable in the sight of man whose eye is fixed on the externall part yet when the oile of our Lampe is consumed and wee to dust and ashes reduced we shall deserve no better inscription than this Behold a specious and pretious shrine covering a stinking corps Wherefore ought wee to observe the internall part and the especiall glory wee receive by it for hereby are we distinguished in the quality of our Creation from all other creatures who governe their actions by Sense onely and not by Reason Hence it was that that divine Philosopher gave God thankes for three especiall bounties conferred on him First was For that God had created him a reasonable creature and no brute beast Secondly For creating him a man and no woman Thirdly For that he was a Grecian and no Barbarian This it was which moved that blessed and learned Father Saint Augustine to breake out into this passionate rapsodie of spirit Thy hand could O Lord have created me a stone or a Bird or a
answer for them for their Stoves Summer arbours Refectories and all other places wherein they enjoyed the height of delight shall be produced against them to tax them of sensuall living and witnesse against them their small care of observing the end for which they were made O Gentlemen you whose hopes are promising your more excellent endowments assuring and your selves as patternes unto others appearing know that this Perfection whereof we now intreat is not acquired by idling or sensuall delighting of your selves in carnall pleasures which darken and eclypse the glory or lustre of the soule but in labouring to mortifie the desires of the flesh which is ever levying and levelling her forces against the spirit Now this Mortification can never be attained by obeying but resisting and impugning the desires of the flesh Wherefore the onely meanes to bring the flesh to perfect subjection is to crosse her in those delights which shee most affecteth Doth she delight in sleepe and rest keepe her waking takes she content in meats and drinkes keepe her craving takes she solace in company use her to privacie and retiring takes shee liking to ease inure her to labouring Briefly in whatsoever shee is delighted let her be alwayes thwarted so shall you enjoy the most rest when she enjoyes the least Hence it was that Saint Ierome that excellent patterne of holy discipline counselleth the holy Virgin Demetrias to eschew idlenesse exhorting her withall that having done her prayers shee should take in hand wooll and weaving after the commendable example of Dorcas that by such change or variety of workes the day might seeme lesse tedious and the assaults of Satan lesse grievous Neither did this divine Father advise her to worke because she was in poverty or by this meanes to sustaine her family for she was one of the most noble and eminent women in Rome and richest wherefore her want was not the cause which pressed him to this exhortation but this rather that by this occasion of exercising herselfe in these laudable and decent labour she should thinke of nothing but such as properly pertained unto the service of God which place he concludeth in this manner I speake generally no rayment ornament or habit whatsoever shall seeme precious in Christs sight but that which thou makest thy selfe either for thine owne peculiar use or example of other Virgins or to give unto thy grand-mother or thy mother no though thou distribute all thy goods unto the poore See how expresly this noble woman was injoyned to her taske that by intending herselfe to labour shee might give lesse way unto errour Certainly as mans extremity is Gods opportunity so the Devils opportunity is mans security we are then principally to take heed lest we give way to the incursion of Satan by our security of life and conversation And what is it that begetteth this security but Idlenesse which may be termed and not improperly the Soules Lethargie For nothing can be more opposite to this Actuall Perfection than restor vacancy we say vertue consisteth in Action how then may we be said to be favourers followers or furtherers of vertue when wee surcease from Action which is the life light and subsistence of vertue Wherfore as it is little to reade or gather but to understand and to reduce to forme what we reade gather or understand for this is the ornament of Art the argument of labour so it is little or to no purpose that wee know conceive or apprehend unlesse we make a fruitfull use of that knowledge by serious practice to the benefit of our selves and others I have knowne divers Physitians some whereof were of great practice but small reading others of great reading but small practice and I have heard sundry men of sufficient judgement confidently averre that in cases of necessity they had rather hazard their lives in the hand of the Practicke than Theoricke and their reason was this though the Practick had not exercised himselfe in the perusall of bookes he had gained him experience in the practice of cures and that the body of his patient was the onely booke within his Element To which assertion I will neither assent nor wholly dissent for as he that practiseth before he know may sooner kill than cure so he who knoweth and seldome or never practiseth must of necessity to get him experience kill before he cure But sure I am that many ignorant Lay-men whose knowledge was little more than what nature bestowed on them by means of regular discipline and powerfull subduing of their owne affections have become absolute men being such as reached to as high a pitch of Actuall Perfection as ever the learned'st or profoundest man in the world attained for it is neither knowledge nor place but the free gift of Gods grace which enableth the spirituall man to this Perfection Now forasmuch as not to goe forward is to goe backward and that there be two Solstices in the Suns motion but none in times revolution or in a Christians progression the only meanes to attaine this Actuall Perfection at least some small measure or degree therein is every night to haue our Ephemerides about with us examining our selves what we have done that day how far we have profited wherein benefited our spirituall knowledge Againe wherein have we reformed our life or expressed our love to Christ by communicating to the necessitie of his Saints By which means we shall in short time observe what remaines unreformed esteeming it the sweetest life every day to better our life But principally are we to looke to our affections which rise and rage in us and like the Snake in the fable pester and disturbe the inner house of man for these are they which as Saint Basil saith rise up in a drunken man drunke I meane with all spirituall fornication like a swarme of Bees buzzing on every side When the affections of men are troubled they change them like Circes cups from men to beasts Neither is it so ill to be a beast as for man to live like a beast O then let us have an eye to our affections let them be planted where they may be duly seasoned Earth makes them distastefull let them be fixed then in heaven the only thought whereof will cause them to be delightfull And to conclude this branch it will not be amisse for us to counterpoize our affections if wee finde them at any time irregular with weights of contrary nature as if we finde our selves naturally affected to Pride that Luciferian sinne to counterpoise it with motives of Humilitie as the vilenesse of our condition basenesse of our composition and weaknesse of our constitution or naturally inclined to Covetousnesse that Mammons sin to give though the gift afflict vs liberally that our forced bounty may in time weane us from our in-bred misery if of grating oppression or grinding extortion that Ahabs sin let us
noting his errour It is not your Hen that is lost but your Citie Roma that is taken by Alaricus King of the Gothes Wherewith comming a little to himselfe he seemed to beare with much more paâ—ience the surprize of the one than the losse of the other O childish simplicity you say well yet the like is in us We cannot endure that any one should steale from us our silver yet either honour riches or pleasure may have free leave to steale away our heart We would by no meanes be defrauded of our treasure yet it troubles us little to be depraved with errour We avoid the poisons of the body but not of the minde intending more the diet of the body than the discipline of the minde Since then in these externall desires this Actuall Perfection whereof we have formerly treated may receive no true rest or repose for to those it only aspireth wherin it resteth wee must search higher for this place of peace this repose of rest this heavenly Harbour of divine comfort we are to seeke it then while we are here upon earth yet not on earth would you know what this soveraigne or absolute end is wherein this Actuall Perfection solely resteth wherein the Heart only glorieth and to the receiver long life with comfort in abundance amply promiseth Hearken to the words of Iesus the Sonne of Sirach It is a great glory to follow the Lord and to be received of him is long life Nor skils it much how worldlings esteeme of us for perhaps they will judge it folly to see us become weaned from delights or pleasures of the world to see us embrace a rigorous or austere course of life to dis-esteem the pompe and port of this present world This I say they will account foolishnesse But blessed are they who deserve to be of that number which the world accounts for fooles God for wise men But miserable is the state of these forlorne worldlings whose chiefest aime is to circumvent or intrap their brethren making their highest aymes their owne ends and accounting bread eaten in secret to be the savourest and stolne waters the sweetest for these never drinke of their own Cisterne or feed of the flesh of their owne fold but partake in the spoile of others yet wipe their mouths as if they were innocent but behold this Haman-policy shall make them spectacles of finall misery wishing many times they had been lesse wise in the opinion of the world so they had relished of that divine wisdome which makes-man truly happy in another world even that wisdome I say who hath built an everlasting foundation with men and shall continue with their seed neither can this divine wisdome chuse but be fruitfull standing on so firme a root or the branches dry receiving life and heat from so faire a root Now to describe the beauty of her branches springing from so firme a root with the solidity of her root diffusing pith to her branches The root of wisdome saith the wise Son of Sirach is to feare the Lord and the branches thereof are long life This feare where it takes root suffers no worldly feare to take place Many worldlings become wretched only through feare lest they should be wretched and many die only through feare lest they should die but with these who are grounded in the feare of the Lord they neither feare death being assured that it imposeth an end to their misery nor the miseries of this present life being ever affied on the trust of Gods mercie How constantly zealously and gloriously many devout men have died and upon the very instant of their dissolution expostulated with their owne soules reproving in themselves their unwillingnesse to die may appeare by the examples of such whose lives as they were to God right pleasing so were their soules no lesse precious in their departing upon some whereof though I have formerly insisted yet in respect that such memorable Patteâ—nes of sanctity cannot be too often represented I thought good purposely as usually I have done in all the Series of this present Discourse where any remarkable thing was related to have it in divers places repeated to exemplifie this noble resolution or contempt of death in the proofe and practice of some one or two blessed Saints and Servants of God Ierome writeth of Hilarion that being ready to give up the ghost he said thus to his soule Goe forth my soule why fearest thou Goe forth why tremblest thou Thou hast served Christ almost those threescore and ten yeares and doest thou now feare death Saint Ambrose when he was readie to die speaking to Stillico and others about his bed I have not lived so among you saith he that I am ashamed to live longer to please God and yet againe I am not afraid to die because we have a good Lord. The reverend Bede whom wee may more easily admire than sufficiently praise for his profound learning in a most barbarous age when all good literature was in contempt being in the pangs of death said to the standers by I have so lived among you that I am not ashamed of my life neither feare I to die because I have a most gracious Redeemer He yeelded up his life with this prayer for the Church O King of glory Lord of Hostes which hast triumphantly ascended into heaven leave us not fatherlesse but send the promised Spirit of thy truth amongst us These last funerall Teares or dying mens Hymnes I have the rather renued to your memory that they might have the longer impression being uttered by dying men at the point of their dissolution And I know right well for experience hath informed me sufficiently therein that the words of dying men are precious even to strangers but when the voice of one we love and with whom we did familiarly live calls to us from the Death-bed O what a conflict doe his words raise How strongly doe griefe and affection strive to inclose them knowing that in a short space that tongue the organs whereof yet speak and move attention by their friendly accents was to be eternally tied up in silence nor should the sound of his words salute our eares any more and certainly the resolution of a devout dying man being upon the point of his dissolution cannot but be an especiall motive to the hearer of Mortification Which was one cause even among the Heathens of erecting Statues Obelisks or Monuments upon the Dead that eying the Sepulchres of such noble and heroick men as had their honour laid in the dust they might likewise understand that neither resolution of spirit nor puissance of body could free them from the common verdict of mortalitie which begot in many of them a wonderfull contempt of the world Albeit it is to be understood that Christians doe contemne this world much otherwise than Pagans for ambition is a guide to these but the love of
God unto them Diogenes trod upon Platoes pride with much greater selfe-pride but the Christian with patience and humilitie surmounteth and subdueth all worldly pride being of nothing so carefull as lest he should taste the Lotium of earthly delights and so become forgetfull with Vlysses companions of his native Countrey Meane time he sojournes in the world not as a Citizen but as a Guest yea as an Exile But to returne to our present discourse now in hand in this quest after that soveraigne or supreme end whereto all actuall perfection aspireth and wherein it resteth wee are to consider three things 1. What is to be sought 2. Where it is to be sought 3. When it is to be sought For the first wee are to understand that wee are to seeke only for that the acquisition whereof is no sooner attained than the minde whose flight is above the pitch of frailtie is fully satisfied Now that is a blessed life when what is best is affected and enjoyed for there can be no true rest to the minde in desiring but partaking what she desireth What is it then that wee seeke To drinke of the water of life where our thirst may be so satisfied as it never be renued our desires so fulfilled as never higher or further extended He that hath once tasted of the fountaine named Clitorius fons and choice is the taste of such a fountaine will never drinke any wine no wine mixed with the drâ—gs of vanitie no wine drawne from the lees of vaine-glory the reason is hee reserves his taste for that new wine which hee is to drinke in his Fathers kingdome And what kingdome The kingdome of heaven a kingdome most happy a kingdome wanting death and without end enjoying a life that admits no end And what life A life vitall a life â—empiternall and sempiternally joyfull And what joy A joy without sorrowing rest without labouring dignitie without trembling wealth without losing health without languishing abundance without failing life without dying perpetuitie without corrupting blessednesse without afflicting where the sight and vision of God is seene face to face And what God God the sole-sufficient summary supreme good that good which wee require alone that God who is good alone And what good The Trinitie of the divine persons is this summary good which is seene with purest mindes The Heart triangle-wise resembleth the image of the blessed Trinitie which can no more by the circumference of the World be confined than a Triangle by a Circle is to be filled So as the Circular world cannot fill the Triangular heart no more than a Circle can fill a Triangle still there will be some empty corners it sayes so long as it is fixed on the world Sheol it is never enough but fixed on her Maker her only Mover on her sweet Redeemer her dearest Lover she chants out cheerefully this Hymne of comfort There is no condemnation to them which are in Christ Iesus She then may rest in peace And what peace A peace which passeth all understanding Shee then may embrace her Love And what Love A Love constantly loving She then may enjoy life And what life A life eternally living She then may receive a Crowne And what Crowne A Crowne gloriously shining This Crowne saith S. Peter is undefiled which never fadeth away The Greeke words which S. Peter useth are Latine words also and they are not only Appellatives being the Epithetes of this Crowne but also Propers the one proper name of a Stone the other of a Flower for Isidore writeth there is a precious stone called Amiantus which though it be never so much soiled yet it can never at all be blemished and being cast into the fire it is taken out still more bright and cleane Also Clemens writeth that there is a flower called Amarantus which being a long time hung up in the house yet still is fresh and greene To both which the stone and the flower the Apostle as may be probably gathered alludeth in this place Here then you see what you are to seeke For are your desires unsatisfied here is that which may fulfill them Are your soules thirstie here is the Well of life to refresh them Would you be Kings here is a Kingdome provided for you Would you enjoy a long life a long life shall crowne you and length of dayes attend you Would you have all goodnesse to enrich you enjoying God all good things shall be given you Would you have salvation to come unto your house and secure you rest you in Christ Iesus and no condemnation shall draw neere you Would you have your consciences speake peace unto you the God of peace will throughout establish you Would you have your constant'st Love ever attend you He who gave himselfe for you will never leave you Would you have him live ever with you Leave loving of the world so shall he live ever with you and in you Would you have a Crowne conferred on you A Crowne of glory shall empale you Seeke then this one good wherein consisteth all goodnesse and it sufficeth Seeke this soveraigne or summary good from whence commeth every good and it sufficeth For he is the life by which wee live the hope to which wee cleave and the glory which wee desire to obtaine For if dead he can revive us if hopelesse and helplesse he can succour us if in disgrace he can exalt us Him then only are we to seeke who when we were lost did seeke us and being found did bring us to his sheepe-fold And so I descend from what wee are to seeke to where wee are to seeke that seeking him where he may be found wee may at last finde him whom wee so long have sought For the second wee are to seeke it while wee are on earth but not upon earth for earth cannot containe it It is the Philosophers axiom That which is finite may not comprehend that which is infinite Now that supreme or soveraigne end to which this Actuall Perfection is directed whereto it aspireth and wherein it resteth is by nature infinite Ena without end beginning and end imposing to every creature a certaine definite or determinate end The sole solace of the Soule being onely able to fill or satisfie the Soule without which all things in heaven or under heaven joyned and conferred together cannot suffice the Soule So boundlesse her extent so infinite the object of her content How should Earth then containe it or to what end should wee on Earth seeke it Seeing whatsoever containeth must of necessitie be greater than that which is contained But Earth being a masse of corruption how should it confine or circumscribe incorruption Seeing nothing but immortalitie can cloath the Soule with glory it is not the rubbish or refuse of earth that may adde to her beautie Besides the Soule while it sojournes here in this earthly mansion she remaines as a captive inclosed in prison