bee something without a smell but there cannot bee a smell without some thing so a woorke without prayer is something but prayer without a good worke is nothing and if thou prayest thou prayest not of fayth Idem hom 18. As fire doth scowre off the rust from iron so prayer dooth scowre our soules from the rust of sinne Idem hom 42. ad pop Antioch As no medicine can cure a wound if the iron remaine within it so no prayer profiteth his soule who hath deadlie hatred festring and rankling in it Augustinus de rectitudine Catholicae conuersationis Plato wryteth that the Lacedemonians were neuer heard to pray for anye thing but that which was good and profitable so a Christian should neuer pray for any thing but that which is good in the eyes of God and profitable for himselfe Isidorus Clarius orat de fructu orandi tom 1. Almes deedes AS the Princes of this worlde determining a voyage doe sende their furniture treasure and prouision before them and they themselues folow after so we are to diuide our goodes amongst the poore that they may prepare an entrance into life for vs. Stella de contemptu mundi As water sprinkled vpon an hot glowing gad of iron although it seeme to coole the hote burning iron yet at the length it causeth it to burne the more vehementlie so the workes of mercie albeit at a blush they seeme to make the soule lesse feruent by reason of the sundrie businesses which happen in exercising them yet they make it more earnest and vehement in the wayes of the Lord. Lodouicus Granat lib. de deuotione Euen as nothing is more naturall vnto God then to doe well vnto all his creatures so hee that participateth more of the spirit and goodnesse of God hee is more readie to doe good vnto others ibidem As in a treasurie they vse to mingle no false mony which outwardlie hath a little golde and seemes to be good yet inwardlie is a mixture of most base mettalles euen so and no otherwise are the woorkes and almes deedes of Hypocrites who outwardlie will appeare iust as if they were no sinners when inwardlie they haue seared and foule deformed consciences Stella de contemptu mundi As water quencheth burning fire so almes deedes resisteth sinnes Clemens Alexand lib. 3. paedagogi cap. 7. As seede cast into the earth bringeth forth profit to the sower so bread cast into the lap of the poore will in time to come yeelde thee great commoditie Basil hom in dite scentes As corne kept in thy garner is deuoured of vermine but being cast into thy lande is not onelie preserued but increased so riches kept in thy Chest vnder locke and key doe waste and fade but if thou disperse them into the bellies of the hungrie they doe not onelie not vanish but rise to greater value Chrysostomus homil 7. de poenitentia As an vnfruitfull Elme giueth moysture to the Vine that the Vine maye bring forth fruite both for it selfe and for the Elme so let thy substance further the reliefe of the poore in this world that their sanctitie may further thee in the other Chrysost hom 12. operis imperf As hee that wryteth an Epistle to a friend whilest hee writeth seeth in his heart the person of his friend to whom he writeth so hee that giueth almes for Gods sake seeth no man in his heart but the person of GOD alone for whom hee giueth it Idem homil 13. operis imperfect As worldlie men by Vsurie encrease their pelfe to their damnation so spirituall men by almes deedes encrease and multiplie the loue of God towardes them to their saluation Chrysost hom 7. in Epist ad Rom. As no man sorroweth to receiue a kingdome or greeueth to haue remission of his sinnes so let no man sorrowe to lay out his money vpon maintenance for the poore because hee shall receyue great gaynes by it Idem Homil. 21. in Epist ad Rom. As rich mens sonnes for an ornament doe weare Golde Chaynes about their neckes as a signe of their greatnesse and Nobilitie so wee ought alwayes to bee arrayed in the roabes of bountie that wee may shewe our selues to bee the sonnes of him who is mercifull who causeth his Sunne to arise both vpon the good and badde idem Hom. 1. ad Philippen As in physicall confections one herbe is predominant so in spiritualll matters almes deeds are in especiall account with God idem hom 9. ad Hebraeos As Iudges hauing receiued gifts do not suddenly proceed to pronounce sentence but endeuour to agree the parties so the Lord dealeth with them whose giftes are giuen to the poore August ser 146. As wee are not once to doe well but alwayes so we are not once to giue almes but alwayes Chrysosthm hom 1. in Epist ad Philippen A lumpe of vnmolten Lead put into a vessell full of holes doth rest in one side of the vessell but if it be melted with fire it filleth all the holes so an heape of mony being frozen with the colde of auarice lieth in the chest profitable to no man but if it be melted with the fire of diuine loue and powred out it floweth to all partes of the poore and relieuing the needy it filleth all the holes crannies of pouertie Hector Pintus in cap. 5. Ezech. 37. As the sea is fed by land Riuers which hath no neede of them when as the lande is left drie so manie bestowe their largesse and bounty vpon them that haue no need and let the needie and distressed perish idem in cap. 18. As sheepe and oxen are not eaten except they be dead and dressed so many Churles giue no almes but when they are dead and buried idem in cap. 16. As mount Oliuet according to Augustine was a mountaine of oyntment and vnction of fatnesse and refection of medicine and cure by reason of the abundance of oyle there growing so a mercifull man may be fitly resembled to this mountaine by reason of his almes which are the oyle of mercie and pitie As that seed is the best which is white within so are those almes deeds the best which come from a pure intent F. Ioannes a S. Geminiano lib. 3. de vegetabilibus Plant. cap. 20. As one Torch borne before dooth giue more light then foure borne behinde so one good deede done in life time is more acceptable vnto God then fortie after death Polancus in Methodo adiuuandi eos qui moriuntur Deuotion HE that woulde haue Iron alwayes to glow and shine redde hot it is necessary that hee alwaies applie it to the fire for if hee take it from the fire forthwith it returneth to his naturall coldenesse so the most noble affection of Deuotion so dependeth of that that man bee continuallie vnited vnto God by actuall loue and contemplation that if hee turne himselfe but a little from him forthwith hee slideth backe to the bosome of his mother that is to the olde disposition which before hee
so if thou giuest place vnto mourning it is not so easily expelled idem As light is comfortable to heauy hearts so are merry thoughts to mourners idem As a diseased Phisitian is not to be praised so neither a comfortlesse mourner The night followeth the day and the day the night sommer followeth winter winter sommer so mourning followeth mirth and mirth mourning Husbandmen do not weepe when they bury their corne in the ground because they expect a plentifull haruest so wee should not immoderatly mourne lament when we leaue our friends in the graue because we looke for a ioyfull resurrection Chriso hom 41. in 1. Cor. As after great and vehement showers commeth a pure and cleare ayre so after a masse of mourning and flouds of teares commeth the serenitie and tranquillitie of minde Chrysost hom 6. in Mat. As by water and the spirit so againe by teares and confession wee are purged so that wee doe it not for ostentation ibidem As rain doth moisten the earth so teares do water the soule Idem hom 4. de poenit As he that is cōdemned by secular iudgement cares not for any faire sights or threatricall shewes so hee that mourneth truly careth not for pampring his bellie Climacus de discretione gradu 26. When Roses are planted nothing is seen but thornes afterwards springeth the faire and louely fruit so they that sow in teares shall reape in ioy Isidorus Clarius oratione octaua tomi tertu In Gallia there is a very cold fountaine which as Fulgosus testifieth with the water doth send forth flames of fire so a true Christian with religious teares ought to streame forth the flames of diuine charitie Hector Pintus in cap. 40. Ezech. Plinie writeth that the teares of Vine-braunches doe cure the leprosie so the teares of those Vine-branches which are grafted into the true Vine doe cure the leprosie of sinne Saint Augustine witnesseth that the Eagle feeling his wings heauie plungeth them in a fountaine and so renueth his strength so a Christian feeling the heauie burthen of his sinnes batheth himselfe in a fountain of teares and so washing off the olde man which is the bodie of sinne is made young againe and lustie as an Eagle As Peters fayth was so great that hee lept into a sea of waters to come to Christ so his repentance was so great that he lept into a sea of teares when hee went from Christ As the Oliue tree is most aboundant in fruit when it distilleth so a Christian is most plentifull and powerfull in prayer when he weepeth As Mustard-seede hath his name in Greeke because it makes the eyes weepe so hee that in prayer hath fayth as a graine of Mustard-seed hath such a fayth as makes his eyes weepe As Elizaeus did cast salt into the waters of Iericho to make them sweete so must we salt and season our prayers with teares to make them sauourie and delightsome to God Maners HE that with contrarie windes is tossed hither and thither neither compasseth what he intended he doth not saile much but is tossed much so hee that hath long liued and hath not liued well hee hath not long liued but hath beene long Seneca As the litle Bee seasing vpon al flowers bringeth that home which is profitable so a vertuous man doth extract from euerie place that which may make for the bettering of his life Plut. As the Ieat draweth a straw vnto it as the Load-stone draweth iron the Chrysocolla golde so euery man associateth that man vnto himselfe who is of like conditions and maners As Caeneus was made a man of a woman so some ill conditioned become better manered Plut. Salt waters that haue raine fal into them become sweeter then others so they are woont to be better whom the influence of the diuine grace doth change from a contrarie liuing as Paul was Nature AS of the same Clay the shape of this beast and that beast is formed which beeing dissolued is fit for some other figure so Nature of the same matter dooth produce one generation which beeing extinct shee propagateth of it others and others Plut. As Nilus bringeth forth holsome fishes and fruitfull plantes so it engendreth the Crocodile and the Aspe so Nature as shee is fruitfull in good things so she bringeth forth something hurtfull idem An Oxe is fit for the plough a horse for the saddle and a dog for hunting as sayth Pindarus so euery man ought to applie himselfe to that maner of liuing which nature hath disposed him vnto idem Moles haue their sight taken from them but they haue their hearing well so where Nature hath denied the valour of bodie there she commonly bestoweth the vigor of minde Plin. lib. 10. cap. 69. As he that makes a ship or an house can easily vnmake them againe so that Nature can best dissolue a man that framed him Cicero de Senectute As no honest man taketh it in ill part that a due debt is demaunded of him or a thing that was left with him so when Nature requireth againe what is her owne wee ought not to spurne agaynst her but willinglie yeelde vnto necessitie Philo lib. de Abrahamo It is naturall for the Vine to spreade the more you seeke by Arte to alter it the more in the ende you shall augment it it is proper for the Palme tree to mount the heauyer you loade it the higher it sprowteth though yron bee made soft with fire it returneth to his hardnesse though the Falcon bee reclaimed to the fist shee retyreth to her haggardnesse the Whelpe of a Mastiffe will neuer bee taught to retriue the Partridge so where the excellencie of Nature dooth beare sway it is a very hard thing or altogither impossible to alter it The sillie Mouse will by no maner of meanes bee camed the subtle Foxe may well bee beaten but neuer broken from stealing his pray if you pownde spices they smell the sweeter season the wood neuer so well the Wine will taste of the Caske plant and translate the Crabtree where and whensoeuer it please you and it will neuer beare sweete Apple so where the force of Nature keepeth possession it is hard to displace it Lily As the stone Abeston being once made hot will neuer bee made colde and as fire cannot bee forced downward so Nature will haue course after kinde As the Aethiope cannot chaunge his skinne nor the Leopard alter his hewe and as it is not possible to gather Grapes of Thornes or Figges of Thistles so it is to no purpose to force any thing to striue against Nature As in tilling of the grounde and husbandrie there is first chosen a firtile soile then a cunning sower then good seede euen so we must compare Nature to the fat earth the expert husbandman to the Schoolemaister the faculties and sciences to the pure seedes As the fertill soyle if it be neuer tilled doth waxe barren so that which is most noble by nature is made most vile by negligence As
see to what happines philosophie will bring them Iibidem Birdes soare aloft in the aire but cattes liue by scratching and biting vppon the earth so in the studie of philosophie some bestowe them selues vpon contemplation of high matters others giue them selues to quiddities and sophistications ibidem As according to Philoxenus that is the sweetest flesh which is no flesh and those the delicatest fishes which are no fishes so that philosophie best delighteth which is mixte with poetry and that poetry best pleaseth which relisheth of philosophie Ibidem When vessels are filled full of liquour then the aire is expelled so they that haue profited in philosophie are filled with the truest riches and nowe doe lesse glory in bushy haire and gay apparrell and are lesse rigorous to others but more seuere against themselues ibidem As men are initiated with clamour and tumulte but afterwardes when as the holy thinges are in hande there is silence and hearkening with reuerence so the beginninges of philosophie are tumultuous but the mysteries full of tranquilitie Ibidem As in a storme when the signe Gemini appeares the mariners conceiue hope of a calme so after the first brunte and difficultie in philosophie the light of trueth ariseth and driues away all diffidence Ibidem Menedemus saide that many came to Athens who first were wise men afterwardes became philosophers that is studentes in wisedome then Rhetoricians and last of all idiots so in philosophie the more thou shalt profit the lesse thou shalt be puffed vp with pride and disuaine ibidem As a ballance cannot stande still but falleth to one side or other so in Philosophie he that profiteth not vnto goodnesse proceedeth vnto naughtinesse Ibid. As they that expect a siege doe gather vp their money and prouide victuals and prepare all thinges that are necessarie against the enemies comming so against the insultings of wrath anger the minde is to be furnished with the precepts of philosophie Ibidem As the stone is to be applied vnto the lyne and not the lyne vnto the stone so our life is to be squared by the rules of philosophie and not philosophie by the customes of our life Ibidem As they that saile in a large sea doe coniecture by the force of the windes and by the compasse of their course that they haue gone forwardes albeit the hauen doeth not as yet appeare vnto them yet they neuer rest till they haue attained vnto the hauen so we must not rest in philosophie vntill we haue attained the perfect habit of a wise man Ibidem As in the cure of a disease ease is not felte vnlesse a sounde habite be recouered so philosophie is not profited in vnlesse foolishnesse fall away by little and little and a better habit of minde bee assumed Ibidem As when children learne first to write their handes are guided and afterwardes of themselues they imitate their copie so the minde is first to be directed by rule and prescript vntill it beginne to philosophie of it selfe Seneca As first that choler is to be purged whence madnesse growes afterwardes the man is to be counselled and aduised otherwise he that admonisheth a madde man howe he shoulde behaue himselfe at home and abroade is more madde then the madde man so the minde is first to be freed from false opinions afterwardes the preceptes of philosophie are to bee deliuered Seneca de consolatione cap. 24. Wooll doth forthwith drinke vp some colours but not others except it be often boyled and sod in them so wittes doe presently relish of other disciplines they learne but philosophie except it be deeply rooted and soundly seated doeth not colour the mind Seneca As the soule is hid in the body whence euery part hath his vigour and motion and the mysteries which are the best part of holy thinges doe not he open but to those that are initiated into them so the preceptes of philosophie are knowne to euery body but that which is the best in philosophie lyeth hid Seneca Seedes that are cast into good grounde thriue thereafter but falling into a barren soyle prooue sterill like vnto their earth so also proue the precepts of philosophie if they fall into a good or bad minde Seneca That fountaine in which Nitre is bred neither breedeth nor nourisherh any other thinge so philosophie that is the studie of wisedome doeth wholy chalenge vnto her selfe the whole mind As the water of the sea is sweeter in the bottome then at the toppe so the deeplier that thou penetratest into philosophie the lesse bitternesse it hath Erasmus in Simil. As a precious stone is a verie little thinge and yet it is preferred before large and greate stones so philosophie is a little thinge in shewe but very precious in price Bay beries are bitter but yet holesome so the preceptes of philosophie are more holesome then delightsome Plin. lib. 16. cap. 30. As there is nothing more profitable for the strength of the body then wine if it bee well vsed nor any thinge more hurtefull if it bee abused so philosophie is a very profitable thing if it be moderatly vsed but very pestilent if thou beest so drunke with the studie of it that thou alienatest thy selfe from the common functions of life As the hedgehogge presaging a tempest doeth either wind himselfe as rounde as a footeball or hideth himselfe in the sande so against the frownes of fortune the minde is to be confirmed and strengthened with the preceptes of philosophie Erasmus in Simil. Considia refusing all austere cure Democrates the phisitian ministred vnto her the milke of goates which he fedde with masticke so they that altogether abhorre the seuere preceptes of philosophie are to be instructed with more pleasing fables but those which relish of philosophie Ibid. As the hearbe Nasturtium doeth extinguish lust and venery but quickeneth the vigour of the minde so the study of philosophy doeth traduce and transpose the strength of the body vnto the force of the mind that a man by so much is more wise in eternall things by how much he is duller in these earthly grosse and corporall matters Plin. lib. 20. cap. 13. As some cary euery where about with thē certain precious stōes against diseases inchaūtmentes drunkennesse lightning and other mischaunces so certaine rules of philosophie are euer to bee kept with vs and caried about of vs against the diseases of the minde lust wrath ambition couetousnesse and such like As hony which is most sweete vnto others is very bitter vnto them that haue the Iaūdice so the precepts of philosophy are pleasant vnto good men but grieuous to the bad As vineger is sowre to be tasted but forcible against the stinging of serpentes so the precepts of philosophie are austere and seuere but yet they bring present remedy against the pestilent concupiscences of the mind Plin. lib. 23. cap. 1. Iuie being dronke doeth hurte the sinewes but being outwardly applied doth help them so if thou altogether giuest thy selfe vnto philosophie it hurteth
As the Cedar tree is vnfruitful stiffe so a proude man is vnfruitfull and obstinate Basilius in psal 28. As a blind man may be easily discerned of all so may a proude man that knowes not the Lorde for the beginning of pride is the ignorance of God be easily known as beeing depriued of his greatest lighte Chrysostomus hom de Ozia As the shippe that hath passed many waues and escaped many tempests at the length shipwracking in the very hauen doth loose all the treasure it contained so the proude Pharisie after that he had vndergone the labours of fasting and had performed the exercise of many notable vertues through his pride and arrogancie made shipwracke of them all in the very hauen Idem hom de profectu Euangelij That body which hath lost a good temperature is subiect to diseases so that soule that hath lost humilitie is endāgered with pride rashnes weaknes and foolishnesse Idem ser contra desperationem et superbiam As he that is frantik knowes neither himselfe nor those thinges that are before his feete so a proud man neither knowes him selfe nor any man about him ibidem As couetous men the more they receiue the more they stande in neede of so a proude man the more he is honoured the more honour he desireth Idem hom 1. in secundam ad Thessalonicenses As they that are swelled are not in good health so they that are proude are not in their right wits idem hom 17. in 1. Timoth. As in an heap of wheat the chaffe lies higher then the wheate not that it is worthier but bicause it is lighter being lighter it getteth the higher place so in this life a proude man is lifted aboue an humble man not for his merite and vertue but for his vanitie and false opinion of himselfe and being vaine of himselfe he preferreth himselfe before those of whō hee is excelled in vertue Hector Pint. in c. 15. Ezech. As pride is the beginning of all vices so it is the ruine of all vertues Isidorus They that are sicke of the dropsie by reason of the grossenesse of their bodies seeme to bee in good estate notwithstanding they be full of nothing but water and such euill humours which in the ende are the cause of their death so they that are proud by reason of their ouerweening cōceits seeme to be in greate reputation and credit when before God they are most abominable and detestable Couetousnesse AS fire when there is more wood cast on burneth more fiercely so couetousnesse the more wealth it hath the more it desireth Lod. Granat lib. 2. ducis peccatorum As drink in a dropsie is the cause of greater thirst so riches in couetous men are the causes of greater auarice Ibidem As the hollow spoute receiueth much water yet retaineth nothing but aire so the couetous man gathereth much wealth and yet possesseth nothing but cares As the fish Polypus vseth great skill in taking of other fishes being otherwise a stupide and foolish creature so many men are very wise for their owne lucre and gaine but in other thinges very blockish and brute beasts As vultures doe smell three daies before hande where any deade carkasses will fall and doe flie thither so greedy gapers after liuings doe many yeares before hand long for the death of the possessors Plin. lib. 10. cap. 6. Couetousnesse is like the serpent Hidaspis the more it sucks the more it is a thirst eating men aliue as the Crocodile and it is a vice of as dangerous allurement as the place where the Syrens sitte and chaunt their preiudiciall melody There is a certaine thorne among the Indians the iuice of which being sprinkled into the eies doeth bring blindnesse to all liuing creatures so the dust of golde beeing cast into the eies of men doeth make them starke blind As phisitians say that colde doeth hurte the bones the sinewes and the teeth so Paul doeth say more breefly because he is the master of breuity that couetousnesse is the roote of all euill Chrysost hom 75 in Matth. As bees flock vnto a hony deaw so couetous men hunte after the smell of gaine Plutarchus in Moralibus Meminit eius etiam Maximus sermone 12. As great fishes deuoure the small so couetous cormorants eate vp the poore Basilius hom 7 exameron As gluttons cannot spare any thing from their owne bellies so couetous men cannot spare any thing from their owne purses Idem hom in ditescentes As the sea is neuer seen without waues so the mindes of couetous men are neuer without perturbations cares daungers trembling and feare Chrysostom Hom. 36. in Matth. As a moath doth corrupt a garment so doth couetousnes eat and rust a wretched soule Idem hom 48. As the man of Chios solde his best wine to others and drunke the deade wine him selfe so doe couetous men they enioy the worst of their wealth and keep the best for wormes moathes and rust Plut. As an itchy scabby place standeth need alwaies of friction and rubbing so the thirst of a couetous minde is neuer quenched idem As they that fall a sleepe through heauinesse dreame of sorrowfull things so they that hunt after wealth and are couetous doe dreame of vsury extortion enhaunsing of rentes and such like dishonest gripings Idem As adulterers loue other mens wiues and contemne their owne so some men are more delighted with searching after other mens goodes then with enioying their owne idem As the roote of a reede beeing beaten small and laid vpon the root of ferne doth bring forth a stem and also as the roote of ferne beeing beaten small and laide vpon the root of a reed doeth extract a stalke so in like manner the desire of money doeth driue out of the soule the loue of wisdome and wisdome doeth driue out of the soule the loue of money As among the Myconians baldnes is no vnseemly thing because all are borne bald there so amongst Londoners pride and vsury and among lawyers couetousnes and bribery are counted small faults or rather none because these vices are as a generall murraine among them As an Adamant doth draw iron from a lodestone so the loue of mony doth draw men from christian piety doth call them away from all goodnes neither doth suffer them to sticke vnto Christ In the I le of Chios the face of Diana is placed aloft whose countenance seemeth heauy to those that enter in but chearefull to them that goe out so certaine sordide illiberall pesauntes doe with heauie countenaunces entertaine their friendes fearing least they should put them to cost and shoulde aske any thing of them but they are chearfull at their departure Plin. lib. 35. cap. 5. As the Emmots of India do onely keep the gold digged out of the cauerns of the earth but doe not enioy it so a couetous rich man neither himselfe enioyeth his riches neither vouchsafeth the vse of them to any other Plin. lib. 11. cap. 31. et Herodot lib. 3. Horseleaches and
and clasping him fast about the middle asked one Capistranus standing beneath whether it would bee any daunger of damnation to his soule if he should cast himselfe downe headlong with the Dog so hee tearmed the Turke to bee slaine with him Capistranus aunswering that it was no daunger at all to his soule the Bohemian forthwith tumbled himselfe downe with the Turke in his armes and so by his owne death onelie saued the life of al the Citie so the deuil like the great Turke besieging not onely one Citie but euen all mankinde Christ alone like this noble Bohemian encountred with him And seeing the case was so that this Dog the Diuell coulde not bee killed starke dead except Christ dyed also therefore he made no reckoning nor account of his life but gaue himselfe to death for vs that he only dying for all the people by his death our deadly enemie might for euer be destroyed As it was bootlesse for Golias to brandish his speare against Dauid so it little auailed the Diuel to shake his speare likewise in the hand of the soldior against the heart of Christ As Dauid hauing heard Golias prate talke his pleasure when they came to the point at the first stroke ouerthrewe him so Christ with that very selfe same speare which gaue him a little venny in comparison or if it be lawful for me so to speake but a phillip on the side which was soone after recured gaue the Diuell a deadlie wound in the forehead which with al his pawes he shal neuer be able to claw off As Dauid only with his sling slew Golias so Christ only by his death and by the power of his crosse which is the sling of Dauid did conquer and subdue the diuel The Palme tree though it haue manie waights at the top and many snakes at the roote yet still it sayes I am neither oppressed with the waights nor distressed with the snakes Penny royall being hung vp in the larder house yet buds his yellow flowers and Noahs Oliue tree being drowned vnder the water yet keepes hir greene branch and Aarons rod being clung and drie yet brings forth ripe Almonds and Moses bramble bush being set on fire yet shines and is not consumed so Christ the true Palme tree though all the iudgments of God and all the sinnes of the world like vnsupportable waights were laide vppon him yea though the cursed Iewes stoode beneath like venemous snakes hissing and biting at him yet hee was neither so oppressed with them nor so distressed with these but that euen vpon his crosse he did most flourish when he was most afflicted The Phenix though sitting in his neaste among the hote spices of Arabia hee bee burnt to ashes yet still hee saies I die not but olde age dyeth in mee so Christ the true Phenix though lying in his graue among the hot spices wherewith Nichodemus embalmed him hee was neuer like to rise from death to life againe yet hee dyed not but mortalitie died in him and immortality so liued in him that euen in his sepulchre hee did most liue when he seemed most to be dead Epaminondas beeing sore wounded in fight demaunded of his souldiours standing by whether his enemies were ouerthrowne or no. They aunswered yea Then whether his buckler were hole or no. They aunswerered also I. Nay then sayes hee all is well This is not the ende of my life but the beginning of my glorie For nowe your deere Epaminondas dying thus gloriouslie shall rather bee borne againe then buried so Christ was sore wounded but his enemyes death and the Diuell were ouerthrowne and spoyled His Buckler which was his Godheade was whole and vntouched Therefore there was no harme doone His death was no death but an exaltation vnto greater glory As snowe couereth the grounde when it is ragged and deformed so Christ with his coat without seame couereth our sins and though they were as crimson yet hee maketh them white as snow As Gedeons fleece when it was moist the earth was drie but when it was drie the earth was moist so when Christes fleece was moist as a greene Tree then were all we drie like rotten stickes but when his fleece was drie all the bloud and water being wrounge out of his precious side then were wee moistned with his grace As Iacob trauailing towardes Haram when hee had laide an heape of stones vnder his heade and taken a nap by the way was much reuiued with it after his tedious iourney so Christ trauailing towardes heauen when hee had slept a little in that stony sepulchre which was hewen out of a Rocke liued then most Princelie after his paynefull passion As Ionas was in the Whales belly three dayes and three nights so and so long was the Sonne of man in the bowels of the earth yet he had no more hurt then Ionas had As Daniell was not hurt of the hungrie Lions so Christ was not hurt either of the terrours of death or of the horrours of Hell As Adam and Eue both in one daie were expelled out of Paradice about noon when the winde blewe so Christ and the theefe both in one day were receiued into Paradice yea both in one houre of the day about the sixt houre that is about twelue a clocke in the day time As Peters shadow gaue health to the sicke so Christs shadow giueth life to the dead As Elizeus being dead raised vp one frō the dead so Christ being dead was a Phisition to the dead Pliny reporteth that there was a dyall set in Campus Martius to note the shadowes of the sunne which agreeing verie wel at the first afterwards for thirty yeares together did not agree with the sun so all the time of those thirty yea three and thirtie yeares that Christ liued in his hmiliation heere vpon earth you might haue seen such a dyall in which time the shadow of the diall did not agree with the shining of the sunne but thankes bee to God all the better for vs. As the sunne went backward tenne degrees in the dyall when Ezechias went forward fifteene degrees in his life hee liued fifteene yeares longer so the going of this sunne Iesus Christ tenne degrees backewarde hath healed all our sicknesse and set vs a thousand degrees forward and infinitly aduanced vs by his death to euersting life As Rachel died her selfe in childbirth to bring forth her sonne Beniamin aliue so Christ dyed to bring vs vnto euerlasting life As when many byrdes are caught in a net if a Pellican or any other great bird that is among them gette out all therest that are little ones follow after so Christ as a great byrde hauing broken through the net of death all we escape with him As far as the Tree of life excelleth the tree of knowledge of good and euill so far the crosse of Christ excelleth the tree of life As hony being found in a dead Lion the death of the Lion was the sustenance of Samson so Christes gall
is our hony the bitter death of Christ by reason of his righteousnes is the sweete life of man As Hammons face was couered when he was condemned to dye so the Sunnes face was couered when Christ was condemned to dye As Dauid rent his garment when hee heard of Ionathans death so the Temple rent his vaile when it hearde of Christes death As the king of Niniuy threw vp dust vpon his head when he and his subiects were appointed to dye so the graues opened threwe vp dust vpon their heades when Christ was appointed to dye As Iob cut his haire when hee heard of his Childrens death so the stones were cutte in peeces and cloue asunder when they heard of Christes death As there were fowre riuers in the terrestriall Paradice which watered the whole earth so in Christ who is our Paradice there are founde fowre fountaines The first fountaine is of mercie to wash awaie our sinnes with the water of remission The second is of wisedome to asswage our thirst with the water of discretion The third of grace to water the plants of good workes with the dewe of deuotion And the fourth fountaine is to season our affections with the waters of emulation Bernardus sermone primo de natiuitate Christi As the Sunne exceedeth all celestiall lightes in quantitie brightnes dignity and power so Christ excelleth all the Saintes in goodnes wisedome honour might F. Ioannes a S. Geminiano lib. 1. de caelo et elementâ—s cap. 91 Olimpus a mountaine of Macedonia is so hye that the cloudes are said to be vnder it for it is of such an altitude that neuer any wind toucheth the top of it neither any grosnes of ayre ascendeth to it which the Philosophers ascending that they might viewe the courses motions of the stars coulde not liue there vnlesse they caried with them spunges full of water that so by the attraction of water they might draw grosser ayre as it is reported in history so Christ hath so farre exceeded al the Saints in excellencie of life all the whirlewindes of passions and tribulations in the altitude of patience and all men in the height of wisedome so that the Philosphers coulde not reach vnto the height of his diuinity but by spunges that is by creatures full of the water of celestiall wisedome Ibidem As the hearbe Dracontea hath the similitude of a serpent but is without venim yea it is most contrary to serpentes and especially to vipers so Christ had the shape of sinfull flesh but he was altogither without sinne yea he is most opposit to it and especially to the deuill Idem lib. 3. de vegetabilibus et plantis cap. 85. As the flower is the Medium betweene the branche and the fruit so Christ is the mediator betweene man and God Ibid. As a Hen doth gather her chickeÌ„s vnder her winges doth defend them against the kite doth feed them with the meate she findeth so Christ doth gather his elect vnder the wings of his protectioÌ„ in one faith vnity of the church doth defend theÌ„ against the raging of the world doth feede theÌ„ not only with material bread but with the spirituall foode of his heauenly doctrine Idem lib 4. de natatilibus et volatilibus cap. 98. The Holy Ghost AS Iron cast into the fire doth participate of the nature of fire his owne substance stil remayning so man by the working of the holy Ghost is transformed into God yet still remayning man beeing a partaker of the diuine purity noblenes as he was a partaker whoe said I doe not now liue but Christ liueth in me Ludov. Granat li. 1 duc peccat As oyle among all liquid substances is the fittest too preserue light and to cure woundes so the dinine vnction of the holy Ghost doth cure the woundes of our will and doth illuminate the darkenes of ourvnderstanding ibidem As he that is ouer come with much wine loseth the vse of his sences neither differeth much from a dead man by reason of the strength of the wine so when any one is full of the heauenly wine of the holy Ghost he dieth to the world and hath all his sences with all their desires shackled and fettred Ibidem As water sette ouer a fire when it doth wax hot as if it had forgot the owne proper nature swelleth aloft imitating the nature and lightnes of the fire so also the soule being inflamed with the heauenly fire of the holy Ghost is exalted aboue it selfe and caried vp to heauen whence that fire is sent Ibidem As the Sun shineth of his owne accord the day is enlightned a fountaine streameth and a showre falleth so the heauenly spirit infuseth it selfe Cyprian As the soule infused into the body is sufficient to make all the members liuing to moue and direct them vnto their seuerall offices and functions which are many diuers so the grace of the holy Ghost which is a forme supernaturall and diuine ' when it once hath entred into the soule is sufficient to moue and direct it to the acting and execuring of all the dutyes of a spirituall life Lod. Gran. in lib. de deuotione As it is not possible that the earth should fructifie onely by rayne except the wind doth blow vpon it so it is not possible that onely doctrine should correct a man except the holy Ghost woorke togither in his hart Chrysost hom 20. oper imperf As the figures of things are not seene in a blemished glasse so a man caÌ„not recelue illumination from the holy Ghost except hee cast away sinne and the lustes of the flesh Basilius de spiritu sancto As fire is not diminished albeit many candels be lighted at it as Science is not impayred although it maketh many men skillfull so the holy Ghost is neuer a whit impouerished although they be innumerable that participate of his graces Philo Iudaeus lib. de gigantibus As one the same showre descending vpon the worlde appeareth white vpon thornes red vpon roses purple vpon the hyacinth and of other colours falling vpoÌ„ diuers and sundry coloured things so the holy Ghost being one not any way diuisible doth diuide his grace to euery one as he pleaseth in one he is wisedome in an other sanctification in an other prophecy c. and yet the same Spirit Cyrillus Ierosolymit catechesi 16. As the body of flesh is none other thing but flesh so the gift of the holy Ghost is none other thing but the holy Ghost Aug. lib. 15. de trinitate cap 19. As the soule doth giue life to al the parts and members of mans body making the cye to see the care to heare so in the rest so the holy Ghost doth giue life to the meÌ„bers of Christes body which is his Church Idem lib. de gratia noui testamenti As heate commeth from fire so the holy Spirit proceedeth from the Father Paschasius de Spiritu sancto As Aaron is called Christ and
women be they neuer so comely As the sore eye infecteth the sounde so the society with women breedeth security in the soule and maketh all the sences sencelesse The tree Siluacenda beareth no fruit in Pharo the Persian tree in Rhodes doth only wax greene but neuer bring forth apple Amonius and Nardus will onely grow in India Balsamum only in Syria in Rhodes no Egle will build her nest no Owle liue in Creete so no wit will spring in the will of women Iohn Lily As Socrates Plato Aristotle affirmed that women were fickle and inconstant so Pindarus Homer Hesiod Ennius and Virgil auerred that they were framed of contraries As Mantuan doth rayle on women in his Eclogs so Euripedes doth exclame of them in his Tragedyes As Martiall hath taunted women so Propertius hath quipped them As some for inconstancy compare women to Chamelions Polipes and wethercockes so some for their alluring and inchāting cal them Sirens for craft Calipsoes for subtilty Serpents for cruelty Tigres As Daphne for nicenesse was turned in to a tree so Anaxarete for crueltie was transformed into a stone As Horatia with daintinesse did hurte her selfe so Phillis through too much loue did hang her selfe As Cleopatra at the death of her Anthony did sting herselfe to death with Serpentes so Hylonome did sley her selfe at the death of her Cyllar As Alceste was content to loose her life to preserue her Admetus so were the Mynian wiues to preserue their husbands Vlysses though he detested Calipso with her sugred voice yet hee embraced Penelope with her rude distaffe so though one abhorre the beauty of a whorish Curtesan yet hee neede not abstaine from the companie of a graue maiden Though the teares of the Hart be salt yet the teares of the Bore be sweet so though the teares of some women be conterfet to deceiue yet the teares of many be currant to trie their loue Some one Rose will bee blasted in the bud some other neuer fall from the stalke the Oake will bee soone eaten with the worme the walnut tree neuer so some women wil be easily enticed to folly some other neuer allured to vanity As the Mint-maister is not grieued to see the coiner hanged nor the true subiect the false traitour araigned nor the honest man the theefe condemned so honest women ought not to be grieued to see lewde women writ against and whores and curtesans to be railed at As hic Ignis is latine for fire in the chimney and hoc Ignis latine for fire on the table so haec Ignis is latine for fire in the bed As there hath beene an vnchast Hellen in Greece so there hath beene also a chast Penelope As there hath bin a prodigious Pasiphaë so there hath bin a godly Theocrita As some haue desired to be beloued as Iupiter loued Alcmena so some haue wished to be embraced as Phrigius embraced Pieria As there hath raigned a wicked Iezabel so hath there ruled a deuout Debora The sowre crab hath the shew of an apple as well as the sweet Pippin the blacke Rauen the shape of a birde as well as the white Swan so the lewde wight hath the name of a woman as well as the honest Matrone There is great difference betweene the standing puddle and the running streame yet both water great oddes between the Adamant and the Pommice yet both stones a great distinction to bee put betweene Vitrum and the Christall yet both Glasse so there is great contrariety betweene Lais and Lucretia yet both women One may loue the cleere conduit water though hee loath the muddy ditch and weare the precious Diamond though he despise the ragged bricke so one may also with safe conscience reuerēce the modest sex of honest maidens though he forswear the lewd sort of vnchast minions As Spiders conuert to poison whatsoeuer they touch so women infect with folly whomsoeuer they deale withall The petite Pallace of Pettie his pleasure As he that toucheth Pitch shal be defiled therewith so hee that vseth womens cōpany shal be beguiled therewith Greene As Iupiter Mars and Hercules for their valiant acts accounted Gods of the paynims were ouercome and made slaues by the inchantment of women so strong Sampson holy Dauid and wise Salomon were ouerthrowne by women As Venus yeelded to her darling Adonis without any sute made on his parte so the Dutchesse of Sauoy went on pilgrimage to the knight Mendoza As Oenone pleaded her right with Paris so Dido let Aeneas vnderstand how deeply she desired him As Scilla made loue to king Minos so did Medca to Iason As Brysis besought the good will of Achilles so Adalesia made loue to Alerane As Portia the daughter of Cato hearing of her Brutus death at Philippi swallowed hot burning coales to followe him as Plutarke Valerius Maximus and Martiall doe write so Gumnilda the wife of Asmunda King of Danes hearing that her husbande was slaine in the wars slew her selfe with a sword to accōpany him in death whome she had dearelie loued in life as testifieth Saxo Grammaticus in his first booke of the Danish historie As trusty Thisbe did goare her gorgeous body with the same sworde wherewith princely Pyramus had prickt himselfe to the hart so true harted Iulietta did die vpon the corps of her dearest Romeo As a rusty Rapier is no trusty Rampier to defende a man though the Scabberd be of fine Veluct so a woman with foule conditions is courselie to bee accounted of though her face bee faire and body beautifull The Petite Pallace of Pettie his pleasure As the yeare doeth consist of foure seasons the Spring Summer Autumne and Winter And as mans bodie doeth consiste of foure complexions Choler Bloude Flegme and Melancholie so the comelie partes of a Woman doe consiste in foure poyntes that is to bee a Shrewe in the Kitchin a Saynt in the Church an Angell at the bourde and an Ape in the bed as the Chronicle reportes by Mistresse Shoare Paramour to King Edward the fourth As the kinde Spaniell the more hee is beaten the fonder he is so the women of Russia the oftner their husbandes beate them the better they loue them They will not bee perswaded that their husbandes loue them except they beate them Richard Hackluyt in his Booke of English Voyagers in the description of Russia As Aetna is too hotte and Caucasus too colde so it is naturally incident to women to enter into extremities they are either too louing or too loathing too courteous or too coye too willing or too wilfull too mercifull or too merciles too forward or too frowarde too frendly or too fiendly the meane they alwayes meanely accoūt of as it is reported of Maria Stuarta Queene of Scottes in Actione contra Mariam Scotorum Reginam The Soule EVen as in a bright and cleare glasse the sunne beames doe make the greater splendour so in a purified and cleare soule the beames of the diuine truth doe shine more clearely Lodouicus Granatensis in
sawe in Africa dogges carying stones into the water till the water was risen so high that they might lappe of it the like he reporteth of a dogge casting little stones into a pot of pottage til they rose so high that he might eate them so that which is wanting vnto vs in strength is to be supplied by Art As great waights which can bee lifted vp by no mens strength are easily drawne aloft by engins and deuices so that which thou canst not do by force thou maist easily atchieue by arte and reason As in houses there are portals before the entrye and as Cities haue suburbes by which they are gone into so before vertue the liberall Artes are placed for it is gon vnto by this way Philo de congressu quaerendae eruditionis gratia As the Gate is the entrance into an house so learnings encyclopedarie is the entrie vnto Vertue Idem lib. de profugis As the sight dooth receiue light from the ayre so the minde doth receiue light from liberall disciplines that it maie be made more sharpe and piercing for the mysteries of Philosophie Aristoteles apud Laertium lib. 5. Cap. 1. As those first letters by which children learne their elements do not teach the liberall Artes but are as an induction vnto them so the liberall Artes doe not bring the minde vnto vertue but prepare it and make it fitte for vertue Seneca Epist 89. As the diggers of welles many times do not finde the water they seeke for so they that seeke for perfection and felicitie in Artes doe misse of their ende Philo lib. de Plantatione Noe. Education AS many vnprofitable weedes grow in a field which are naught themselues but yet are the signes of a fertile and plentifull ground if any man woulde till it so manie vnrulie affections of the minde being badde of themselues doe argue no badde wit if education did rightlie applie them Plut. There is not almost any tree but it waxeth wild and crooked if it want culture so there is no wit so happie but it degenerateth without orderly education Idem They that bring vp horses wel do teach them to obey the bridle so he that will instruct children must first make them attentiue idem There is no horse that well brooketh his Rider but hee that is tamed by Arte and cunning so there is no witte but it is barbarous and wilde except it be tamed by education and trained to moderation by precepts idem There is no beast so wilde which is not tamed by skill so there is no wit so rude and clownish which by education groweth not milde idem As husbandmen vnderprop yong trees that they may encrease grow straight so hee that educateth yong wits addeth precepts and wholesome admonitions least they wander awrie idem As Corke is in vaine tied to Nets that they may swimme if the Leade be so proportioned that it drawes them vnder water so we are instructed in vaine in the precepts of well liuing if our wickednesse wil not suffer vs to arise out of foolishnesse idem As a field vntilled doth not onely remaine vnfruitfull but also doth bring forth manie weedes so youth capable of reason except it bee exercised in honest precepts doth not onely not become good but runneth into many vices idem A Beare doth bring foorth shapelesse whelps and doth forme them by licking so it is meete that a yong wit be polished by long industry Plin. lib. 8. cap. 26. The yong Cuckow being a bastard denoureth the legitimate birdes and the dam too so many brought vp with great cockering as Cockneys bee ouerthrow their educators Plin lib. 10. cap. 9. A tree vnfruitfull of it selfe by grafting becommeth fruitfull so a slender wit by good education may be brought to verie good passe Plin. lib. 17. cap. 14. A tree of the owne nature dooth beare but one fruit but by grafting bringeth forth many kindes so they that haue nothing but their own nature to direct them do alwayes pipe one tune but they that by education growe artistes haue many harmonious Diapasons As there be certaine fountaines that by drinking of them do change the skinne and haires of man and beast into white and blacke so in the countenaunce and foreheade of a man doth shine with what precepts hee hath beene indued and from what authours he hath drawne the conditions of his life As potters clay and morter while they are moyst and soft are easilye fashioned to anie likenesse so young rude mindes are fitte for anie discipline Plin. lib. 36. cap. 24. As the herbe Fenegreeke the worse it is vsed the better it prospereth so some children the lesse they are cockered the better they are Plin. lib. 18. cap. 16. Morter is presentlye to bee vsed because it quickelie hardeneth and dryeth so young yeares is foorthwith to bee framed to learning and good maners before it growe hard and will not admit the hande of the fashioner Plin. lib. 36. cap. 24. The Adamant is mollified by one thing otherwise it yeeldeth not to the Smithes hammer so there is no wit nor disposition so rustical and sauage but by one thing it may be ordered and tamed Plinius lib. 37. cap. 4. An Ape dooth almost kill her young ones by embracing them so manie Parents do corrupt their children by immoderate loue and affection in their bringing vp Plin. lib. 9. cap. 54. In the tillage of ground first it is meete that the grounde bee good next that the tiller bee skilfull and then that the see de bee good so in the tillage and culture of the minde the nature and disposition of the childe doth resemble the earth the schoolemaster the tiller and the wholsom instructions the seede Plutarchus de liberis educandis As cart wheeles bended by force can neuer againe bee brought to their former rectitude so some wittes depraued by education can neuer againe be corrected Idem in Moralibus As ground the better it is the more it is spoyled if it be not tilled so wits the riper they are the worse they become if they be not instructed ibidem As all grounds are not fruitfull that are tilled so all wits doe not bring forth fruit that are well educated Cicero libro 2. Tusc quaest As an husbandman delighteth to see fruite of that tree hee planted and a shepheard to see encrease of those sheepe hee keepeth so doth a schoolemaister and a Tutor reioice to see those wits thriue and prosper which they haue vertuously and industriously taught and tutered Seneca lib. 2. epist. 34. As branches of trees grown crooked of a long time cānot be brought to straightnesse although they be often bended with the hande so they that are scarce honestly borne scarce ingeniously brought vp doe alwaies looke to the grounde that is they loue base and vile thinges neither euer are lifted vp vnto vertuous or valorous endeuors Politianus in Lamia As in a fat ground which no tiller hath touched grow thornes and bushes so often in a generous
seene in water troubled and polluted so our soule doth cleerely knowe what shee hath in her selfe when shee is quiet and calme but if the stormes of passions do obscure and disturbe her then shee neyther seeth her selfe nor any other thing Idem lib. de Deuotione As the heat suppressed is more violent and the streame stopt makes the greater deluge so passions concealed procure the deeper sorrowes As a city ruled by tyranny commeth to destruction so doth a man ouer whome perturbations haue sway Philo lib. quod omnis probus sit liber As Noahs Arke admitted all kinde of creatures which Paradice did not so man entertaineth all vnruly and vntamed passions and perturbations but admitteth not laudable vertues Idem lib. de plantatione Noe. As a sparrow tyed by the leg is by the string helde backe from flying so a man tyed vnto affections and perturbatious is helde backe from the contemplation of celestiall matters Maximus lib. prime de charitate As a polluted glasse canne reflect no perfect representation so a soule occupied in secular disturbances and dimmed with sensual carnality is not capable of the holy spirits illuminations Basil Epist 64. As wine causeth drunkennesse so perturbations bring madnesse Idem in cap. 5. Esayae As indigestion bringeth diseases to the bodie so perturbations raise infirmities in the minde Chrysostomus sermone 1. De fato As they that are sicke of a feuer do loath all things so disturbed minds are storme-blasted on euerie side Idem Homil. 35. in 1. Cor. Commodity AS Merchants vppon the sea and husbandmen vpon the land spare no pains in hope of gaines so christians for a crown that perisheth not should esteeme no troubles too harde nor any afflictions too greeuous As soldiours sustaine woundes in hope of the spoile champiōs receiue blowes in hope of the prize which rewardes are temporall so Christians ought patientlie to entertaine all iniuries and suffer all persecutions in hope of that reward which is eternall and euerlasting As the Moon bestoweth vpon the world that light she hath receiued of the Sun so the giftes receiued of God are to bee imploied to the commodity of others As hee that is once stung of a Scorpion is neuer after stung with Waspes Hornettes or Bees so there is no discommoditie that hath not some commoditie ioyned vnto it Plinius libro 28. cap. 3. In Boaetia by the Riuer Orchomenon where the god Trophonius standes there are two fountaines one of which brings memory the other forgetfidnesse so commonlie when a great commoditie is present with vs a great discommodity is not far from vs. Achilles speare coulde as well hurt as heale the scorpion as well stinges as hee stintes the paine the hearbe Nerius as wel poysons the sheepe as it is a remedy to man against poison so euery commodity hath his discommodity euery pleasure his paine according to the prouerbial verse Omnis commoditas sua fert incommodae secum The earth bringeth forth Hemlocke to endanger the patient as Endiue to delight the people as well the nettle to sting as the Rose to distill as well the Spider to yeeld poison as the Bee to giue honny so euery sweete hath his sowre euery gaine his paine and all myrth is mingled with some moane Assiduity AS he that addeth a little to a little doth it often doth at length make a great heape so assiduity much auaileth to atchieue a good and wel disposed minde Plutarch As a drop of water by assiduity doth make a stone hollow and as Iron by often muching is wasted so assiduity doth ouercome the hardest things Plut. There is a riuer in Phrigia called Gallus of which if you drink moderately it cureth the maladies of the body but if immoderately it maketh the minde franticke so if moderately thou giuest thy selfe to the study of Phylosophie it profiteth but if wholy without intermission thou appliest that study it taketh away the firmenes of the minde and headlong carieth it about with a fury of vaine glory Assiduity taketh awaie admiration AS he that entreth into a famous city or royall pallace the first day walketh wondering by reason of the noueltie of thinges that there he seeth but afterwards seeing those oftner that wonderment is diminished The same thing happeneth to them at the first that enter into the new city of grace by reason of the nouelty of things which by litle and litle are vncouered and laid open in it Lod. Granat lib. 1. Ducis Peccat Adoption Abdication AS he doteth plaieth the part of a frantick man that reuerenceth worshippeth the image and picture of his brother but smiteth and beateth the body so is it a foolish thing to loue the name of those adopted and to disinherit and hate the true brother Plut. Emulation As that is not true loue the wanteth iealousie so he doth not earnestly affect vertue except hee burneth with the emulation of famous deedes doone by others Plutarch As Alexander emulated Achillis Iulius Caesar Alexander Tully Hortensius and Demosthenes Isocrates so the Thessalonians did emulate the church of Macedonia and Achaia in prouiding reliefe for the poore saints Exhortation AS the wilde Figge tree neuer bringeth foorth any ripe figges but yet begetteth wormes which flying to the true Figge tree doe eate of the rinde of the figges and so doe yeelde maturitie to them so there be some that cannot doe any famous thing of themselues but yet by some meane or other they prouoke others to doe it Endeuour HE that hunteth the Hare with an Oxe and shooteth with a plough goeth about to catch Harts with a fish net if hee doth not obtaine his purpose hee cannot accuse fortune but his owne foolishnesse so they that endeuour to compasse what they cannot effect ought not to blame fortune but their own folly Plut. Correction AS they that pull downe houses neare vnto temples doe spare them which are ioyned vnto the temples least they should pull downe any part of the sanctuarie so some vices are warely to bee corrected which haue a neare alliance with vertue Nurses oftentimes clensing the bodies of their children from spots and blemishes doe sometimes pull off skinne and flesh together so whilst we too scrupulously endeuour to amend some faults we do verie much hurte as the disciplinarians doe As they that cannot abide the hande of the Chirurgian are cured by diet so they that cannot beare rough remedies are to be corrected by milder cures As cold water and hote water doth cure them that bee burnt and haue kybes so some errours are to be taken away after a diuerse maner both by seuerity and lenity by taking away benignity and adding seuerity He that doth chide his friende for light trifles and holdeth his peace in great matters doth the same that the ouerseer of wrestlers doth who suffereth the wrestler to be a drunkard and a leacher and ony is seuere about a boxe of oyntment Plut. in Moralibus As hard brawned flesh doth not easilie
spices then do smell more fragrantly when they are either moued broken or powned so vertues fame is then largely dispersed when it is exercised in serious imployments and weightie affaires As Phisitians forbid to wash the teeth with the iuyce of the hearbe Alcakengy although it bee good to fasten them because the danger is greater then the commoditie for at length it will bring madnesse so those things are not to bee dealt in that hurt the name and encrease the wealth nor that learning to bee medled with which polisheth the tongue and infecteth the maners As fire in a darke night is a farre off discerned but in the Sun-shine is scarcelie seene so many a paultry rymer and bawdie ballad-maker seemes among base conceits of great esteeme but in the view of more glorious and splendent spirits they appeare none other then dunghill birdes and alefied Groutnowls Tyrius Platonicus sermone 24. An ill Name AS some by the deformities of their bodie haue got vnto them a surname as of crooked legges to bee called Vari of flabberkin lippes Chilones of great noses Nasones of redde noses Salamanders so manic by their mischieuous misdeedes doe purchase infamous and ill names as Nero for his beastlinesse to bee tearmed the Beast of Rome Tamberlane for his tyrannie The wrath of God and Attila for his crueltie The scourge of God c. As it grieueth a father to see his sonne deadly sicke or irrecuperably ouermatched in fight with his enemie so it grieueth any good nature to heare himselfe ill spoken of or to heare his wife daughters tearmed dishonest Iouianus Pontanus de fortitudine lib. 2. cap. 5. As manie Christians abstaine from much mischiefe least after this life hell shoulde bee their inheritance so Tiberius Caesar kept himselfe from many outrages and misdemeanors least after death an ill name should followe him Erasmus in Epistolà ante Suetonium Tranquillum Albeit thou powrest water vppon the hearbe Adyanton or drownest it in the water yet it continues drie so infamy slander or an ill name will not cleaue to a good man albeit one endeuour to defame him A Courtly life AS the Moone the neerer the Sunne it is the lesse light it hath so more fruit and dignitie is in them that are farre off from great Princes There is a certaine hearbe in India of an especiall sauour full of little serpents whose stinges are present death so the courts of certaine Princes hath that which delighteth but vnlesse thou be warie they harbour deadly poyson Antes doe gnaw that end of the corne which beginneth to sprout least it become vnprofitable vnto them so great men that they may alwayes keepe their seruants in seruice and slauerie do hold them vnder least looking vp after liberty they should forsake the Court through the tediousnes of seruitude As it is a very rare thing to see the birds called Halciones but when they appeare they either bring or portend faire weather so Bishops and Cleargie-men should seldome come to the Courts of Princes but either to preach maners or appease tumults There is a kinde of pulse called Cracca which Culuers take such delight in that hauing once tasted of it they cannot afterwards bee driuen from that place so they that haue once tasted of the hony and honour of the Court can neuer bee driuen from the Court Plin. lib. 16. cap. 16. A Mule ingendered of an Horse and an Asse is neither Horse nor Asse so some whilest they would be both Courtiers and Prelats are neither Strange it is that the sound eye viewing the sore should not be dimmed that hee that handleth pitch should not be defiled so is it strange that they that continue in the Court should not be infected Nylus breedeth the precious stone and the poysoned serpent and as in all ryuers there is some fish and some frogs and as in all gardens there bee some flowers some weedes and as in all trees there bee some blossoms some blasts so the Court may as well nourish vertuous Matrones as the lewd Minion Courtiers AS the starre Artophylax is brightest yet setteth soonest so Courtiers glories being most gorgeous are dasht with sudden ouerthrowes As the Camelion turneth himselfe into the likenesse of euerie obiect so Courtiers as Aristippus that fawnde vpon Dionysius ayme their conceits at their Kings humor if hee smile they are in their iolitie if frowne their plumes fall like Peacockes feathers The Indian Torteises in a calme do delight to floote aloft in the noone-Sun with all their back bare aboue water vntill their shelles hauing forgot themselues bee so parched with the heate of the Sunne that they cannot get vnder water and so they swimming aboue water become a prey vnto fishers so some allured with hope of great matters do thrust themselnes into the Courts of Princes and are so lulled a sleepe with the pleasures of the Court that they cannot forsake it when they woulde and betake themselues to their woonted rest Plin. lib. 9. cap. 10. As the hearbe Heliotropium is carried about with the Sunne and whither soeuer it moueth thither the hearbe turneth his head so Courtiers which way soeuer their king doth becke thither they bend Plin. 18. cap. 24. 27. eodem lib. The Crocodile sometimes liueth vpon the land and sometimes in the water shee layeth her egges vpon the land seeketh her prey in the water so some are both Courtiers and ecclesiasticall persons but in both places very pestilent fellowes Conradus Lycosthenes Rubeaquensis As the Adamant cannot draw iron if the Diamond lie by it so vice cannot allure the Courtier if vertue be retained Kings AS the Leopard by reason of his sweete sauour dooth allure wilde beasts vnto him and so doth destroy thē so the courts of princes I knowe not what inticing allurements they haue that drawe men into destruction Plinius libro 8. cap. 27. As the hearbe Heliotropium doth alwaies looke towards the sunne and when it is hid doth gather in the flower so many to the Kings becke bend their endeuors and to what thing soeuer they see him inclined to that they addresse themselues Plin. lib. 18. cap. 27. As the crocking of frogs beyonde their wont doeth prognosticate an imminent tempest so when the speech of euill men is of most force with Princes and good men are silenced then the confusion of their estate is at hand As the dogges of Malta are especially delighted in among the rich and delicate women of that I le so effeminate princes doe greatly sette by flatterers who both speak and do all things according to their humours Plin. lib. 3. cap. vltim◠That which oyle is vnto flies emmots and to other insect and entailed creatures that is flattery vnto foolish princes Those being annointed with oyle doe die these by flattery and assentation of clawbackes are drawne to destruction and they draw their common wealth into the same praedicament Plin. lib. 11. cap. 19. As a vine except thou prune it doeth largely extend it selfe
worlde and wholie repose himselfe vpon God Idem hom 45. Children in their nonage delight in trifles but when they growe men they contemne such vanities so worldlinges beeing ignoraunt as children doe loue the vanities of this worlde but wise men growing to some ripenesse in Christianitie doe contemne and despise them Nilus in lib. ascetico As saylers cast their preciousest iewels into the sea to saue their liues so we must cast from vs all the pelfe and pleasures of this world to saue a better life Ibidem A woman that is with childe with a male is lesse troubled both in the bearing and birth so the Euangelicall Margarite is compassed with lesser dolour then worldlie substaunce therefore let vs embrace the first as woorthie of our paines and contemne the other with al the vaine gaines Reason AS a ship that hath firme anchorage can make stay in any hauen so the minde if it be ordered by right reason can liue quietly in any place Plutarchus in Moral As a grashopper and a hauke doe not see alike and as an eagle and a partridge doe not flie alike so all that are partakers of reason are not of like force in the sharpnes of disputation and wittinesse of reasoning Ibidem As a monitor sitting by a boy doeth alwaies admonish him that he offende not so reason being alwaies present with the mind doth not suffer it at any time to erre and offend ibidem It is not enough to haue a sound bodie but it is also requisite that it be of a good habit and strong so the reason ought not onely to bee pure and free from vices but to be couragious and well fortified Ibidem As a sterne and a bridle are not sufficient vnlesse there be some present that can moderate and rule them so eloquence is not sufficient to moderate and gouerne the people vnlesse reason be present also the moderatour of the speech ibidem If there were no sun we should haue eternall night so if we had no reason wee shoulde nothinge at all differ from brute beastes ibidem In a great storme a ship is not stayed vnlesse a weighty anchor be surely fixed in the bottome of the water so in the great hurley burley of businesses greate reason ought to bridle the mind least it be caried away of affections Ibidem The seedes of a Cypres tree are so small that they can scarsly be discerned with the eies and yet a greate and tall tree doeth spring from so small a seede so reason is a very little thing and occult but yet is very great if it shewe it selfe and vnfoulde his force Plin. li. 17. cap. 10. As great weights that no mans strength can peyse are easily hoysed aloft by engines and deuices so that which we cannot doe by force is easily brought to passe by art and reason Idem As horses that are growne fierce and cruel by reason of their often fighting in the warres are deliuered vnto riders and tamers that they may become more gentle and tractable so men that are poud puffed vp through prosperity are to be brought to reasons schoole that they may looke into the imbecillitie of humaine affaires and see the varietie and mutabilitie of fortune and blinde chaunce Cicero lib. 1. Offie As nature doeth not bring forth her goodnesse except it be ripe and mature so the good of man is not in man except perfect reason bee with it Seneca lib. 2. epist 125. As the whole body doth yeelde obedience vnto the soule for by the soules commaunde wee lie downe and rise vp so the whole multitude is ruled by reason and bended by the awe of this commaunder Idem lib. 1. de Clementia cap. 3. As that is not the best ship that is the faireliest painted but that which is best for saile and as that is not the best sword which hath a golden scabberd but that which best cutteth and is best for defence and as that is not the best square which is the beautifullest but that which is the straightest so he is not the best man that is the mightiest or wealthiest but he that is ordered and ruled by right reason and sound iudgement Idem epist 77. As a naughtie boy doeth hate his schoolmaster or any one that wisheth him well and corrects him for his faultes so he that is in loue with his affections doth hate right reason which should gouerne him Philo lib. de sacrific Abelis As it is absurde that a good maister shoulde be vnder subiection to a wicked seruant so is it absurde that the reasonable and immortal soule should be in seruitude to the brutish and corruptible body Thalassus ad Paulinum presbyterum As nature hath giuen to diuers kinds of creatures diuers defences for the preseruation of their liues and safties as strength to Lions swiftnesse to Hartes swimming to Fishes flying to Fowles and cauerns in the earth to creeping thinges so vnto man hath God giuen reason by which he subdueth all other creatures Tyrius Platonicus serm 10. As a ship in a tempest is easily drowned vnlesse the pylot mannage it by his industry so affections doe draw a man from ill to worse vnlesse they be gouerned by sounde and solide reason Antonius ser 76. parte 2. As a ship that wantes a good pylot is driuen in stormy weather against rockes so a man that wantes reason in the mutiny and tumult of his affections is swallowed vp of his passions Laurentius Iustinianus de contemptu mundi cap. 1. Schollers AS one going to fetch fire at an other mans house and finding a good fire there doeth sit him downe by it and there doth stay so some scholers alwaies cleaue vnto their maisters neither doe light their owne wits that at home they may enioy their owne fire Plut. As a birde whatsoeuer meate shee getteth presently carieth it to her yong ones and is neuer the better for it her selfe so some doe therefore learne that they may presently teach others becomming neuer the better them selues Idem As slouthfull and greedy curres doe at home teare and bite the skinnes of wilde beasts but in hunting doe not once touch them so some praeposterously studious do deale only with trifles and neuer come to the touch of learning Idem As many women doe not conceaue by some men but being ioyned to others become fruitefull so there bee some that with some maisters are indocible but doe profit with other teachers because as betweene bodies so betweene wits there is a sympathie and an Antipathie As planters of trees by all meanes seeke their increase so schollers shoulde by all meanes seeke their profit in learning Phillo Indaeus lib. de Agricultura The diuine law pronoūceth those beasts vncleane that doe not chew their cudde so learning pronounceth those schollers vnsufficient and non-proficients who doe not meditate ruminate on those things they heare Philo lib. de agricultura Hunting dogges follow the wilde beast this way and that way so good schollers hunte after a thinge
be giuen to idlenes Standing water is sooner frozen then the running streame he that sitteth is more subiect to sleepe then he that walketh so the idle man is farre more subiect to be ouercome of vice then he that is exercised Vice A Pilot that hath dashed his ship against a rocke will not onely afterwardes be wary of it but of all other rockes so hee that detesteth the vglinesse of one vice wil also warily flie from other vices Plut. As he is miserable that serues a cruell dogged master from whom hee may flie so is he much more miserable that is a seruant and a slaue vnto vices from which he cannot flie idem As a spot or a blemish that hath long beene letten alone is hardly taken away so inueterate vices are hardelie corrected Idem In war a court of guard watching is continually to be helde so we must neuer cease to striue against vices idem As hee that despaireth euer to bee rich maketh hauocke of that hee hath but hee that is in good hope to bee wealthy will make spare of little matters so he that fully purposeth to be a good man doth endeuour to correct and amend the least vices and neglecteth not any thing that may any waies further him to the attainement of vertue Idem They that through vnskilfulnes cannot tell how to make a peece of wood straight do wrest and bend it to the contrary part so some in flying from one vice do fal into a greater idem As those wounds of the body are more greeuous which make an Vlcer so those vices of the mind are much more grieuous which more vehemently doe disturbe and distract idem The water called Lyncestis or Acidula doth make drunke as well as wine so pouerty and lacke of knowledge doth make some vicious and wicked for the same vices do spring from diuers causes as arrogancy springeth both from knowledge vnskilfulnes Plin. lib. 31. cap. 2. It is easie to slip into a weele-net but to come out is vety difficult so it is easie to fal into vices but to returne vnto vertue is not so easie For the biting of an Aspe there is no remedy but the cutting of the infected parts so some vices are onely cured by death Plin. lib. 8. cap 23. Scorpions doe bring forth each other and do kill each other for it is said that the Scorpion doth bring forth eleuen young ones all which the damme killeth sauing one but that one killeth his damme and auengeth his brothers bloud and this doth God that that pestiferous brood should not too much increase so of one capitall vice many vices are bred as of couetousnesse are ingendred treachery fraud cousenage periury vnquietnesse violence and hardnesse of heart but oftentimes one of these daughters doth kill their mother Auarice vnquietnesse of minde doth many times so wearie the couetous that they striue by all meanes to cast off the burden of this vice and quite to leaue the world And so it is in other capitall vices Geminianus lib. 5. de animalibus terrestribus cap. 120. As one poison expelleth another as the fatnesse of the snake preuaileth against the biting of the Crocodile the head of a Viper healeth the wound of a Dragō so one vice expelleth another as couetousnes restraineth gluttony ambition vainglory bridleth luxury for feare of infamy ibid. Pleasure WHere weedes are plucked vp there corne thriueth so where concupiscence is expelled there righteousnesse ariseth Chrisost hom 8. oper imperf As they that saile in a sandy sea are somtimes on ground vpon the dry sandes and somtimes flote aloft vpō the swift current so he that follows after pleasure somtimes is tormented through want of it and somtimes ouer cloied through abundance Sen. lib. de beata vita As swine doe durty themselues in the myre so voluptuous men do befilth themselues with pleasure Basilius in Psalmum primum As the Lord appeared not to Abraham so long as hee staied in his owne country but when hee came into the lande showne vnto him hee had great promises made vnto him so as long as we continue in the worlde and worldly pleasures our mindes are not enlightned with any diuine illumination but when wee obey Gods commaundementes God manifesteth himselfe vnto euery one according to his capacitie Cyrillus Alexan. in dictis veteris testamenti He that writeth in the water leaueth no characters behind him so pleasure lasteth no longer then the very act Gregor Nyssenus homilia 5. in Ecclesiastin As the greater sorrow obscureth the lesser so the pleasure of the minde obscureth the delight of the body Plut. If drunkardes and banketters rush into an house of mourning they doe not onely bring no myrth vnto the mourners but they rather procure greater lamentatiō so pleasures also do offend an vnsound body idē Lysimachus when hee was constrained to yeeld himself vnto the Scythians by reason of thirst and when he had drunke a little cold water Good God quoth he what a great deale of felicitie haue I giuen for a little pleasure so wee are to thinke when we fall into a long disease for a little Venery idem There are a kind of theeues whome the Egyptians call Philistae who imbrace them they take to the ende to strangle them so pleasures whilst they doe flatter they kill Seneca As hee is as well dead that is buried in odours as he that is rent and torne in peeces of wilde beastes so they are alike vnhappie that giue themselues to luxurious pleasures as they that spende their daies in hunting after the vaine puffe of ambition Seneca They that drinke of the lake Clitorius cannot abide wine so they that surfet in worldlie pleasures doe abhor honest and true delights As the wine which Homer cals Maroneū being mingled with 20. times so much water as the quantity of wine comes to still keepeth his strēgth vertue so a vertuous vpright wise man is not subdued by anie pleasures Plin. lib. 14. cap. 4. The auncient natural Philosophers do write that the sun is nourished with sea water and the Moone with fresh water so wise vertuous men do seeke for sowre things so they be profitable and fooles hunt after those things only that may delight As the Planet Saturne is in effect colde drie heauy so pleasure doth make cold by extinguishing the heat of spiritual loue dry by consuming the moisture of deuotion and heauy by depressing the mind to inferiour things F. Ioannes a S. Geminiano lib. 1. de caelo elementis cap. 90. As Saturne is called a nocturnal planet so the pleasure of the flesh doth seeke for the darknes of the night ibidem They that are borne vnder Saturne as saith Ptolomy do not abhorre impure and vncleane garments and do loue other filthy things so luxurious persons do not abhor the exteriour note of infamy besides they oue filthy and polluted actions ibid. Laban following Iacob ouertooke him vpon the mountain Galaad which