matter whereof thou wast made As the first Adam lost honor by pursuing and following it so the second Adam got honor by auoiding and eschewing it As the Iron must first be well heated in the fire ere it can be wrought by the hammer and driuen out on the anuile so cannot thy fame and name be honorably enlarged til they haue first suffred the strokes of many temptations and past through the fire of piercing trials The purest wine gets soonest into the heade which makes a wise Lorde or ruler of seruantes when hee sees any of his followers seeke to disorder themselues with drinking of the best wine that they shall abate the strength therof with water euen so is the will of God when fauour of men and worldly regarde doe trouble the sences and ouermaister our wittes that they shoulde be qualified with the water of more prouident respect namely those blames defects which depend vpon them When Antiochus entred the Temple he tooke away the lights the candlestickes euen so worldly fauor no sooner enter into our thoughts but it extinguisheth al light of knowledge of our selues As things caried aloft by the winde the wind no sooner ceaseth but they fall to the ground so it fares with them who without desert and by the fauor of men are highlie promoted when fauor slacketh down fals their dignity in a miserable case is he that hath no better assurance As the snowe in summer and as raine in haruest are not meet so is honor vnseemly for a foole As euery crown doth not become euery conqueror so euery honour doth not become euery man Plut. As a great Colossus and a huge statue ill poised are easily subuerted so too much honor through enuy doth ouerthrow many Plut. They that heape honours and glory vpon an euill man do giue wine to one sicke of a feuer hony to one oppressed with choler and meat to one troubled with morbus coeliacus which encrease the disease of his mind that is his foolishnes Plut. Nobilitie AS faith is very rich but without works quite deade so nobility is good but if not accompanied with vertue most base and infamous Stella de contemptu mundi As of one roote springeth both the Rose and the brier so of one mother may descend both a bad sonne and a good for a man may bee borne of a noble byrth and yet himselfe become vile and dishonorable ibidem As in fertill earth growes the Hemlock which is a venemous and deadly hearbe and in the barren growes the pure gold so oftentimes out of honorable houses issues degenerate minds out of base Stockes proceeds valorous thoughts ibidem As hee is a foole who hauing at all no beauty in him will neuerthelesse extoll his own beauty and perfection euen so as foolish is hee that beleeues himselfe to bee noble not hauing any part of nobility in him As of a bitter roote many times comes sweete and pleasant fruite so from a poore race may issue some to bee famous and noble by the vertuous behauiour which afterward shall renowme them ibidem As grosse clowdes couer the sun Moon and Starres and robs men of their celestiall splendour so the vices of them that are vertuously descended obscure the worthie actions of their famous forgoers Ibidem As brickes take their beginning from clay so nobility tooke her beginning from obscure parentage Gregorius Nyssenus apud Antonium monachum in Melissa As it nothing profiteth a muddy riuer to haue sprung from a pure fountaine so it nothing helpeth vicious children to haue descended from noble houses Hector Pinâ— tus in cap. 16. Ezechiel As he that is born a foole is born a slaue so hee that is borne a wise man is noblie borne And therefore Antisthenes saide very well that nobilitye did foly and onelie consist in vertue and wisdome whereupon the Stoikes concluded that only wise men were noble men As estimation many times springs from the foolish opinion of the people and not from desert so doth nobility Lodo. Viues in introductione ad Sapientiam cap. 3. As little Crab fishes do hide themselues in great empty shels that they may bee the more safe so some distrusting their own strength and vertue do protect themselues vnder the noble titles of their auncestors Erasmus As no bird can looke against the sunne but those that be bred of the Eagle neither any Hawke soare so high as the broode of the Hobby so for the most part none haue true sparks of heroicke maiestie but those that are descended from noble races As the wine that runneth on the lees is not therefore to be accompted neate because it was drawne of the same peece or as the water that springeth from the fountaynes heade and floweth into the filthie channell is not to bee called cleare because it came of the same streame so neyther is hee that descendeth of noble parentage if he desist from noble deedes to be esteemed a Gentleman in that he issued from the loynes of a noble Syre for that he obscureth the parents hee came of and discrediteth his owne estate The pure Corall is chosen as well by his vertue as his colour a king is knowne better by his courage then his crowne so a right Gentleman is sooner seene by the tryall of his vertue then blasing of his armes The Rose that is eaten with the Canker is not gathered because it groweth on that stalke that the sweet doth neither was Helen made a starre because shee came of that Egge with Castor so neither is he a true Gentleman that hath nothing to commend him but the nobilitie of his ancestours As it is a signe of true honour and nobilitie to reproue sinne so to renounce it is the part of honestie As no Thersites could bee transformed into Vlysses so no Alexander coulde bee couched in Damocles A good name FIre once kindled is easily kept but being extinct it is hardlie rekindled so it is an easie thing to maintaine a good name but being once lost it is not so easilie recouered Plutarchus in Moralibus Shippes well repayed doe endure manie yeares so wee must continuallye adde something to the propagation of our good names least time and age eate them out ibidem As a shadow sometimes goeth before and sometimes commeth after so some forthwith doe get good report and some haue it not till after death but he later that it commeth it is wont to be the greater Seneca As the famous monuments called Obelisci were long time in making and reared with much adoe by reason of their hugenesse c exceeding weight but being once finished they continued manie ages so it is a hard thing to get a name of vertue and wisedome but being once gotten it is neuer extinguished As in verie great Obeliskes almost as much is builded vnder the earth as is aboue that they may stand vnmoueable so a firme and sound foundation is to bee laid for the continuance of a perpetuall name As
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
charitie Ibidem A wild beastes haue fairer skins then tame beastes so solitary virgins are more beautifull then affable Ibidem As the thighes are made of great bones because they sustaine great weight so virgins haue neede of great strength because as saint Augustine saith among all the combats of Christians there is none more harde then that of chastitie Gird sayth Dauid Psal 44. thy sworde vpon thy thigh for hee is girded with a sworde vpon his thigh who dooth alwayes warre against the temptations of the flesh Idem lib. 6. de homine membris eius cap. 76. As Eue a virgin brought forth sinne into the world which brought destruction to mankinde as Hugh Broughton writeth in his Consent of Scripture so Mary a virgin brought forth Christ who bought saluation to the world VVisdome AS by the lessening of our shadowe we perceiue that wee are more in the light so by the diminishing of our foolishnesse we know that wee haue profited in wisedome Plut. As he that extreamly hungreth and thirsteth can by no meanes be pulled from his victuals till he hath satisfied his appetite so all other things are to be neglected of him that thirsteth after wisdome idem Seed although it bee little yet being sowne in a fitte place commeth to great growth so wisdome consisteth in a fewe words but encreaseth in the action Senec. Some cannot see things that are verie neere vnto them but they can well discerne those things that are further off so some men are more wise in other mens matters then in those things that appertaine vnto themselues As great Obeliskes are squared by great labour and placed by the exceeding strength and wit of man but being once placed they indure infinite ages so it is a verie hard thing to obtaine a fame of vertue and wisedome but beeing once gotten it neuer dieth As the Wine called Maroueum which Homer remembreth beeing mixed with twentie times so much water yet keepeth his owne strength so true wisedome is not polluted by any filthie pleasures Plin. li. 24. cap. 4. If the starres of Castor and Pollux appeare seuerallie the one from the other it portendeth ill happe but if they bee seene ioyntly togither it prognosticateth good lucke so it is requisite that might bee not seuered from wisedome otherwise it is pestilent As the Loade-stone by a certaine secrete and vnknowne force dooth drawe Iron vnto it so wisedome by a secret reason doth draw the mindes of men vnto it Plin. lib. 35. cap. 10. The Northren winde is vehement in the beginning but milder at the ende and contrarily the South winde is milde in the beginning but vehement at the ende so they that take matters in hande boysterouslie haue no good successe but they that with wisdome begin with good successe make an ende As the Sun the more direct it is ouer vs the lesser is our shadowe but the more indirect it is by so much encreaseth the shadowe of our bodies so the more true wisdome a man hath gotten the lesse gloriously he thinks of himselfe but the further he is from it the more he vaunteth of that he would seeme to haue The root of a Reed being powdred and laide on the stemme of ferne dooth extract a stalke and in like maner so dooth the roote of ferne being laid on the stem of a reed so wisdom doth root out of the soule the loue of money and in like maner the loue of money doth root out wisdome As the Lord granted the office of baptizing to many but kept the power and authoritie to remit sinnes in baptisme one lie to himselfe wherevpon Iohn sayth Hee it is that baptizeth with the holie Ghost so also hee giueth speech to many but wisdome to a few to whom he will and after what maner he pleaseth August de scala Paradisi As the sight is conuersant about al things visible the hearing about all things audible so wisdome is conuersant about all kind of beings and essences Pythagoras apud Stobaeum ser de virtutes As foolishnes although it hath obtained that it desired yet thinketh that it hath neuer inough so wisdome is alwaies content with that is present neither euer repenteth it selfe Cicero lib. 5. Tusculanar As we doe not approue the science of Physitians for the art sake but for the health it bringeth so wisdom which is the Art of well liuing would not bee desired if it effected nothing but nowe it is desired because it is as it were the work-mistresse of all ioy and delight Idem lib 1. de Finibus As the Sunne is the eye and soule of nature by which all things are discerned begot nourished increased and cherished so is wisdom in the world Politian in Lamia As golde is the most precious among mettals so is wisdome among the vertues Lapidaries do say that the stone Corneolum being hanged about the necke or worne on the finger doth helpe in disputation doth mitigate wrath and doth stay a flux of bloud so wisdome doth profit in disputatiō to find out the truth to represse anger and to stay our readinesse to sinne F. Ioannes a S Geminiano lib. 2. de metallis Lapidibus cap. 32. As the herbe Amomum is powerfull agaynst the stings of Scorpions doth refresh the eyes and aslwage the paine of the entrailes so wisdome doth profligate the deceits of heretikes doth comfort the eies of the minde and in griefe doth cheere the sad heart Idem lib. 3. de vegetabilibus plantis cap. 71. As the Box tree hath alwayes greene leaues so wisdome hath alwayes gratefull and amiable wordes ibidem As by our taste we relish things below here vpon the earth so by wisdome wee tast those things that are aboue in heauen Idem lib. 6. de homine eius membris cap. 65. A wise man AS the wisest Grammarian may bee found a foole in blacke smiths worke and as the skilfullest Pylot may be found vnexpert in the Arte of Medicine so hee that is wise in those thinges that appertayne vnto GOD may bee a foole in those thinges that concerne the world Origenes libr. 10. in Epist. ad Rom. cap. 16. As sweete odours by their fragrancie do sweeten al the places neare vnto them so a wise man dooth make all them the better that conuerse with him Philo lib. de somniis As the Mulberie tree doth first bring foorth fruit and then Bloslomes so a wiseman brings forth works before words Peraldus in summa virtutum Phidias could not onely make Images of Yuorie but also of Brasle of Marble or if thou haddest brought vnto him anie baser matter hee woulde haue made the best of it that could bee made so a wise man if it may bee will shewe his vertue in riches if not in riches in pouertie if he may hee will shewe it in his Countrey if not in his Countrey in banishment whether hee bee captaine or souldier sound or sicke or in what estate soeuer hee bee in hee will behaue himselfe
commendablie in it Seneca Epist 86. As an Adamant cannot be broken so the minde of a wise man can not be daunted nor enfeebled Idem lib. 2 de tranquillitate As we see beautifull pictures when the Gate of the Temple is open so wee see excellent representations of vertue when a wise man openeth his mouth Socrates apud Stobaeum ser de virtute As they that saile with successefull winds haue instruments readie whereby they may arme thēselues against a storme so they that are wise in prosperitie wil prepare themselues to beare aduersitie Idem apud Stobaeum ser 1. de prudentia As Pylots obserue the winds least they be crossed of them so a wise man doth obserue the affections of his mind least he be ouerwhelmed of them Aristonymus apud Stobaeum ser 1. de prudentia As true loue towardes a woman doth not desire a witnesse but hath inough if it secretlie and alone enioy her so a wise man is content with the testimonie of his owne conscience Plutarchus in Moral As the Planet Mercurie departeth not from the Sun albeit it be otherwayes a vaging and wandring Planet so a wise man may by no meanes wander and stray from honestie Plin. lib. 2. cap. 17. As the worlde is euery way round and sphericall so a wise man seeketh for nothing without himself but is content with himselfe Idem lib. 2. cap. 2. As the birdes Halcyones in the midst of winter do make the sea calme not onely for themselues but also for others so a wise man in the most turbulent times doth not onely preserue vnto himselfe the tranquillitie of mind but also maketh others quiet and peaceable Idem lib. 10. cap. 23. As nature sheweth herselfe no lesse admirable in making a Gnat thē in forming an Elephant so a wise man both in great and little matters sheweth himselfe excellent idem lib. vndecimo cap. 2. As snailes go slowly neither doe they touch any thing nor moue thēselues any way but first they assay it with their horns so it is meet that a wise man be consideratiue and discoursiue and by leisure and aduice take matters in hand a taste of them being first had idem lib. 9. cap. 32. As certain beasts do teare rent off those parts of their bodies for which they know themselues endāgered as the Beuer doth named also of some Castor so it is the part of a wise man sometimes to cast away his riches that he may saue his life Idem lib. 8. cap. 30. lib. 36. cap. 16. As God is the wisest and of greatest vnderstanding and yet speaketh the least so a wise man will speake nothing but that which is necessary Erasmus in similibus The ancient Physiologers saide that the Sunne was fed with salte water and the Moone with fresh so wise men seeke for bitter thinges so they bee ro fit able but fooles followe those thinges that are pleasant and delectable ibidem As vnwise men doe not foresee a tempest but too late whē they receiue harme by it but contrarily wise husbandmen do foresee and take heed so the common sort of vnprouident men do learne by woefull experience but a wise man doth auoide the euill foreseene As Democritus admonished his brother reaping his corne in a verie hot gleame that hee shoulde let the rest of his corne stande and carry that into his barne hee had cut downe because on a suddaine hee perceiued that it would raine exceeding aboundantly ibidem As the stars go a contrary course vnto the world so a wise man goeth against the opinion of all Seneca As neither the world increaseth nor the Sun nor the moone nor the sea so all wise men be alike Seneca As haile maketh a great noise vpon a tiled house but doth it no harme so the insultinges of Fortune cannot hurt a wise man Seneca As a good workeman in not onely a workeman in one matter alone so a wise man doth carry himselfe well in either fortune Seneca As a dwarfe is a dwarfe although set on the top of a mountaine but a Colossus is loftie albeit placed in a valley so a wise man is great in what fortune soeuer but a foole is base in the height of prosperitie Seneca As a good workeman maketh a picture of any matter so a wise man well guideth himselfe in any fortune Sen. As lightning forth with killeth any creature besides man so the stormes of fortune forthwith ouerthroweth vnlearned brutish people but stirreth not a wise man The leaues of the shrub Rhododendros is poyson vnto cattell goates and sheepe but to man they are a remedie against the venim of serpents so that which bringeth destruction vnto fooles as aduersity or erudition that a wise man turneth to his good and welfare Plin. lib. 16. cap. 21. Friendship AS milke doth run together and is coagulated by the rennet so men are combined together and made one by friendship Plut. As fire is the sweetest of al condiments as saith Euenus so friendship doth sweeten euery part of the life if it bee mingled with it Idem As they that haue a good stomacke and are sound and healthfull creatures doe digest and concoct stones Iron serpents and scorpions doe turne them into nourishment but contrarily those that bee weake and vnhealthful are offended with breade and wine so fooles doe loose friendship but wise men well know howe to vse emnities aright Idem As brute beasts if they be compelled by force to mingle themselues in generation with a diuerse kinde doe not ioy in it but hang down their heads so friendship doth wel fare and vnite among those that bee like Idem As our eyes tongues and hands are to bee made much of because wee cannot liue without them so are friends because no life is vitall without them Dion de regno orat 3. Muske though it be sweet in the smell is sowre in the smacke the leafe of the Cedar Tree though it bee faire to bee seene yet the sirrup depriueth sight so friendship though it be plighted by shaking the hād yet many times it is shaken off by fraud of the heart Iohn Lily A pinte of the wine called Maroneum which Homer so much commendeth beeing mingled with fiue quartes of water yet keepeth his olde strength and vertue not to bee qualified by any mixture where salt groweth nothing else can breede so where friendship is built no offence can harbour The friendship of many AS an vnchast and vnshamefast woman mingling her selfe with many hath no certaine louer so is hee that hunteth after the friendship of many Plut. in Moralibus As a maide gathering one flower after another in a medow is still possessed with a fresh desire to gather those that are fresher and newer and doth neglect those shee gathered before so are those that seeke after the friendship of many beeing cloied with the friendship of one they presently seeke for another Ibidem As the first matter is varied after diuers formes whē it hath not the proper
the Heban blossomes open with the dewe and shut with the Sunne so louers in presence of their mistres haue their tōgues tied and their eyes open pleading with the one and being silent with the other As men allure Doues by the beauty of the house and reclaime Haukes by the fairenesse of the lure so loue ioyned with vertue is able to recall the most stragling Aeneas to make sailes againe to Carthage The ratling thunderbolt hath but his clap the lightning but his flash so hot loue begun in a moment endeth in a minute The drie touchwoode is kindled with lime the greatest mushrumpe groweth in one night the fire quicklie burneth the flaxe so loue easily entereth into the sharp wit without resistance and is harboured there without repentance In battailes there ought to be a doubtful sight and a desperate end in pleading a difficult entrance and a diffused determination so in loue there is a life without hope and a death without feare Fire commeth out of the hardest flint with the steele oyle out of the driest Ieate by the fire so loue out of the stoniest hart by faith by trust by time As the Hop the poale being neuer so high groweth to the end as the dry Beech kindled at the roote neuer leaueth vntill it come at the top and one drop of poyson dispearseth it selfe into euery veine so affection hauing caught holde of the heart and the sparkles of loue kindled in the liuer will suddainly though secretly flame vp into the head and spread it selfe into euery sinew New loue worketh like newe wine Or water in a caudron which when it fecleth the heate of the fire it forthwith boileth swelleth and is caried aloft As the Hunter plieth his houndes the Falkner his Hawkes and the fisher his angle forgetting the paine through delight of the pastime so the louer prosecuteth his loue esteeming all labors and troubles but trifles in respect of the inning hope of his amorous haruest As the sore called an Oncom or Fellon beginning at the fingers ende and by sufferance falling into the ioynt doth hazard a Mahem or at the least-wise a Cure so loue beginning at the eye and by sufferaunce descending to the heart doth threaten life or at the leastwise Reason as the one therefore at the first is to bee scalded so the other is presentlie to bee suppressed for without a timely violence either malady is incurable William Warner in his Pans Syrinx As fire in what place soeuer it bee euer worketh so our will neuer standes idle neyther knowes how to liue without louing As an Apple being well knit together gither and mellowed is more sweete and pleasing then when it is greene yet that apple being ouer-ripe and too much mellowed becomes wrinkled sapelesse and welneere sauourlesse euen such is the loue of men ouer yonge and ouer olde the one sowre and sharpe the other dry and sencelesse As one onely light makes an entire and perfect shadow whereas many lightes being togither confoundes and defaceth it euen so from one onely Frende and loyall louer true perfect loue is to be expected As one knowes not a Musition but either by his voice or touching his instrument euen so hee cannot bee reputed a perfect louer except hee make it knowne by the testimony of the true signes belonging to loue As without threed a needle serues to no vse so neither the pleasures of loue without due prosecution and though a needle haue two three eyes or more by reason whereof it carries as many threeds with it yet it makes but one entrance mary it makes the worke the faster euen so he that delightes to dally with many binds himselfe thereby the more strictly to her he loues in deede Leon Baptista Alberto Florentine in his Hecatonphila As the most constant patience being too farre prouoked conuerteth into furie so a wrathfull louer is more to bee feared than a sauage monster that hath no reason As the best wine doth make the sharpest Vineger so the deepest loue turneth to the deadliest hate Bauin though it burne bright is but a blase scalding water if it stande a while turneth almost to Ice Pepper though it be hote in the mouth is colde in the mawe so hote loue is soone cold and that affection that frieth in wordes commonlie freezeth in workes As Iupiter transformed himselfe into the shape of Amphitrio to embrace Alomaena into the forme of a swan to enioy Lada into a Bull to beguile Io into a showre of golde to winne Danae so Neptune changed himselfe into an Heyfer a Ramme a flood a Dolphin only for the loue of those hee lusted after And Apollo conuerted himselfe into a shepheard into a bird into a Lyon for the desire he had to heale his disease As the first draught of wine doth comfort the stomacke the second inflame the liuer the thirde fume into the heade so the first sip of loue is pleasant the second perillous the third pestilent The least sparke if it be not quenched wil burst into a flame the least moath in time eateth the thickest cloath and I haue read that in a short space there was a towne in Spain vndermined with Conies in Thessalia with Mowles with Frogges in Fraunce in Africa with Flies so loue which secretly creepeth into the mind as the rust dooth into the iron and is not perceiued consumeth the bodie yea and confounds the soule Iohn Lilly The little grain of Mustard-seed in time becommeth a tree the slender twigge groweth to a statelie greatnesse and that which with the hande might easilie haue beene pulled vp will hardly with the axe be hewen downe so loue at the first may be easily eradicated which being growne can hardly be razed As a sinew being cut though it be healed there will alwayes remaine a scarre or as fine linnen stained with blacke ynke though it be washed neuer so often will haue an iron mowle so the minde once mangled or maymed with loue though it be neuer so well cured with reason or cooled by wisedome yet there will appeare a scarre by the which one may gesse the minde hath beene pierced and a blemish whereby one may iudge the heart hath beene stained As they that angle for the Tortois hauing once caught him are driuen into such a lithernesse that they loose all their spirits being benummed so they that seeke to obtaine the good will of Ladies hauing once a little holde of their loue are driuen into such a traunce that they let go the hold of their libertie bewitched like those that view the head of Medusa or the Viper tied to the bough of the Beech tree which keepeth him in a dead sleepe though hee begin with a sweet slumber Newe Wine is more pleasaunt then wholesome and Grapes gathered before they be ripe may set the eyes on lust but they make the teeth on edge so loue desired in the bud not knowing what the blossome will bee may delight the conceit of the head but it
will destroy the contemplatiue of the heart Apelles was no good painter the first day hee that will sell Lawne must learne to folde it so hee that will make loue must first learne to court it As betweene the similitude of maners there is a friendship in euerie respect absolute so in the cōposition of the body there is a certain loue ingendred by ones lookes where both the bodies resemble each other as wouen both in one loome Euery flower hath his blostom his sauor his sappe so euery desire should haue to feed the eye to please the wit to maintain the estate Poyson will disperse it selfe into euerie veyne before it pierce the heart so loue maimeth euerie part before it kill the liuer As by Basill the Scorpion is ingendred and by the means of the same hearbe destroyed so loue which by time and fancy is bred in an idle braine is by time fancie banished from the heart As the Salamander which beeing a long space nourished in the fire at the last quencheth it so affection hauing taken holde of the fancie and liuing as it were in the minde of the louer in tract of time altereth and changeth the heat and turneth it to chilnesse As the Almond tree beareth most fruit when it is olde so loue hath greatest faith when it groweth in age The yong Vines bring the most wine but the old the best so tender loue maketh greatest shew of blossomes but tryed loue bringeth forth sweetest iuyce As the precious stone Anthracites being throwne into the fire looketh blacke and halfe dead but being cast into the water glistereth like the Sunne beames so the precious minde of man once put into the flame of loue is as it were vgly and looseth her vertue but sprinckled with the water of wisdome and detestation of such fond delights it shineth like the glorious rayes of Phoebus As the best charme for a toothach is to pull out the tooth so the best remedie for loue is to weare it out Fire is to bee quenched in the sparke weedes are to be rooted vp in the bud follies in the blossom greene sores are to be dressed roughly least they fester tetters to bee drawn in the beginning least they spread Ringwormes to bee annointed when they first appeare least they cōpasse the whole bodie so the assaults of loue are to be beaten backe at the first siege least they vndermine at the second Hearbes that are the worse for watering are to bee rooted out trees that are lesse fruitful for the lopping are to bee hewen downe Hawkes that waxe haggarde by manning are to be cast off so fond louers that increase in their follies when they be reiected are to be despised The Spaniell that fawneth when hee is beaten will neuer forsake his maister so the man that doteth when he is disdained will neuer for go his Mistresse Theseus would not goe into the Labyrinth without a threed that might shewe him the way out so neither any wise man will enter into the crooked corners of loue vnlesse he knew by what meanes hee might get out Hot fire is not onely quenched by the cleare fountaine so neither is loue only satisfied by the faire face Hee that hath sore eyes must not beholde the Candle so hee that would leaue his loue must not fall to remembring of his Lady the one causeth the eye to smart the other the heart to bleed You shall neuer beate the flie from the Candle though shee burne nor the Quaile from the Hemlocke though it bee poyson so neyther the louer from the companie of his Ladie though it bee perillous As the hearbe Heliotropium is alwayes inclined to that place where the Sunne shineth and being depriued of the Sunne dyeth and as Lunaris hearbe as long as the Moone waxeth bringeth foorth leaues and in the wayning shaketh them off so a louer whiles hee is in the companie of his Ladie where all ioyes encrease vttereth manie pleasant conceits but banished from the sight of his Mistresse where all mirth decreaseth either liueth in Melancholie or dieth with desperation As Andromache whensoeuer shee sawe the Tombe of Hector coulde not refraine from weeping or as Laodamia coulde neuer beholde the picture of Protesilaus in waxe but shee alwayes fainted so louers whensoeuer they viewe the image of their Ladies though not the same substance yet the similitude in shadowe they are so benummed in their ioynts and so bereft of their wittes that they haue neither the power to mooue their bodies to shew life nor their tongues to make answere There must in euery Triangle be three lynes the first beginneth the second augmenteth the thirde concludeth it a figure so in loue three vertues affection which draweth the heart secrecie which increaseth the hope and constancie which finisheth the worke without any of these rules there can be no triangle without any of these vertues no loue There is no man that runneth with one leg no birde that flieth with one wing so no loue lasteth with one limme As the earth wherein the mines of siluer and gold is hidden is profitable for no other thing but mettals so the heart wherein loue is harboured receiueth no other seed but affection When the Hoppe groweth high it must haue a pole when the luie spreadeth it cleaueth to the flint when the Vine riseth it draweth about the Elme so when Virgins wax in yeares they follow that which belongeth to their appetites loue loue As fire cannot bee hidden in the flaxe without smoake nor Muske in the bosome without smell so neither can loue bee hidden in the breast without suspition As the straightest wandes are to bee bent when they be small so the precisest Virgins are to bee wonne when they bee young As fire when it bursteth out catcheth holde soonest of the driest woode so loue when it is reuealed fasteneth easiest vppon the affectionate will As an English man cannot abide a stranger to be his equal nor to be dared by any so hee cannot by any meanes suffer a partner in his loue As there are foure kinds of warres forraine ciuil combat and in the conscience so there are foure kindes of loue spirituall carnall temporall and common F. Iohannes a S. Geminiano lib. 1. de caelo elementis cap. 4. As the Raine-bowe hath foure principall colours in it redde iacinth colour azure and green so loue especially worketh foure passions in the soule zeale excesse hatred and languorment Ibidem As the sun-beames pierce deepely so doth loue Ibidem Loue is likened to the Figge Tree whose fruite is sweete whose Roote is more bitter then the clawe of a Bittor to the Apple in Persia whose blossome sauoureth like Honny whose bud is more sowre then gall and to a Laberinth which leadeth vs into worser paynes then Sisiphus suffereth into moe tormentes then Tantalus abideth and into greater griefe then Ixion beareth As no man canne be twice happie as Saint Hierome writeth in an Epistle to Iulia chapter foure so
hath lasted out many yeares but he that hath liued well Plutarchus in Moral As wine soone sowreth so our life soon endeth Antiphanes apud Stobaeū ser 113. As to the stomacke quatted with dainties all delicates seeme queasy and as he that surfetteth with wine vseth afterward to allay it with water so those olde men that haue ouercharged their gorges with fancie accompt al honest recreation meer folly and hauing taken a surfet of delight seem now to sauour it with despight As olde men are very suspicious to mistrust euerie thing so are they very credulous to beleeue any thing the blinde man doth eate many a flie As the hearbe Moly hath a flower as white as snow a roote as black as inck so many times age hath a white head shewing pitty but a blacke hearte swelling with mischiefe Olde mens counsell IT is reported that the bird Ibis the older she is the more odoriferously sweetly she smelleth so the glory of old men is more calme and their counsels more safe Plut. Counsell AS he that is sicke of his liuer doth foolishly if onely he shew his soare nailes vnto the phisition so doth he foolishly that beeing troubled and disturbed with great euils and mischeefes doeth aske counsell of his friend about trifles Plut. There be some that cannot see thinges neare vnto them but they can discerne things further off so many are better aduised in other mens matters then in those things that pertaine vnto themselues As the hagges called Lamiae are blinde at home but see all things abroad so some are too cleare eied in other mens busines but are hoodwincked in their owne If among birdes one female treade another it begetteth an egge but nothing is bredde of it so that counsell which thou conceiuest in thy minde if it be not seasoned with reason it is friuolous and vnprofitable Aristot li. 6. cap. 2. de nat animal et Plin. lib. 10. cap. 58. As Apion calling Homer from his graue asked him none other thinge then from what parentes he was sprung so some a counsell of graue men being conuented do cōsult of nothing but of toies trifles Euill counsell is the worst vnto him that giueth it AS Perillus who gaue the brasen bull vnto Phalaris perished by his owne inuention so many times euill counsell doeth fall vpon the heade of the authour Plini lib. 34. cap. 8. As oftentimes the fish Polypus is taken and held whilst he deuoureth shell fishes so nowe and then whilst we endeuour to hurt others we bring our selues into danger Plin. lib. 9. cap. 29. As Cybele Arsaces chamberlaine and bawde was poysoned with the same poyson that she thought to haue dispatched Cariclia with so Achemenes Cybeles son being at the point to haue traiterously slain Oroondales lieutenant of Aegypt before he had giuen him a deadly wounde was stroken thorow himselfe with an arrow of an Aethiopian Heliodorus in the 8. and 9. booke of his Aethiopian History As Diomedes king of Thrace cast others as prouender to be eaten of horses so he by Hercules was cast to the same horses and deuoured of them As Busiris king of Aegypt vsed to burne others in sacrifice before his Gods so he by Hercules was burnte in sacrifice vppon the same altar As by that thing a man doeth plant a man is often times supplanted as Noah in planting a vineyarde was supplanted by the wine Gen. 9. so by that a man doeth invent he is often circumuented as Haman was hanged on the same gallowes that he had prepared for Mordec Ester 7. As the Israelites blasphemed God with their fiery tongues so God punished them with fiery serpents As Nadab and Abihu the sons of Aaron offred strange fire before the Lord so they were deuoured with fire Leuit. 10. As the Princes of Iuda were cruel so cruell beasts tore them in peeces Ieremie 5. As Pharaoh would needes drowne the children of Israel in his waters Exod. 1. so God paied him againe with the selfe same coyne drowning him afterward in the red sea Exodus 14. As the woman had eaten of the forbidden fruite so her punishment was appointed by fruite That the fruite of her wombe should be brought forth in paine and heauinesse Gen. 3. As man sinned eating so God limited his penalty by eating saying Thou shalt eate thy breade in the sweate of thy browes As Adoni-bezek cut off the thumbs of the hands and of the feet of seuentie kings so Iudah cut off the thumbes of his hands and of his feete Iudges 1 As Cresseida was inconstant to Troylus so king Diomede proued inconstant to her As Iohn Martin of Briqueras a mile from Angrongue vaunted euery where that he woulde slitte the ministers nose of Angrongue so hee was assaulted by a wolfe which bit off his nose so that he died thereof mad Iohn Fox in his booke of Acts and Monuments 2. tom pag. 1088. Rash Counsell AS the North winde is boysterous at the beginning but milde at the ending and contrariwise the south winde is milde at the beginning but vehement at the ending so they that rashly and headstrongly enterprise any matter doe freese in the pursuite to their hurt and danger but they that aduisedly take thinges in hande are more and more encouraged in the progresse of their labour Fortune AS in the games of Olympia the chalenger contended with what aduersary so euer came so in the course of our life wee must wrestle against whatsoeuer fortune Plutarchus in Moral A Blinde man running against one calleth him blinde that did not shunne him so we cal that fortune blind into which we fall through our owne blindnesse Ibidem As the windes are succesfull to some and aduerse to others so fortune doeth fauour one and frowne vpon an other Ibid. As a pigmy although set on a hill is but a dwarfe but a Colossus placed in a valley is great so a wise man is great in whatsoeuer fortune but a foole is base in the greatest prosperitie Seneca As haile pattering vpon an house maketh a great noyse but doeth no hurt so the insulting of fortune cannot doe any thing against a wise man Idem As shell fishes increase when the moone encreaseth and decrease when it decreaseth so a foole depending of fortune is sometimes great sometimes base sometimes hie sometimes lowe sometimes as proud as a peacocke sometimes as suppliant as a begger as Rhamnusia pleaseth to chaunge her selfe As an adamant neither yeeldeth to the fire nor to the hammer so the minde of a wise man is inuincible not to be conquered by any of fortunes violences As a good workman maketh a picture of any matter so a wise man carieth himselfe well in both fortunes either prosperous or aduerse Nilus bringeth a dearth vnto the Egiptians if it either exceed in flowing or reach not to the ordinary limit that is if it either flow lesse then twelue cubits or more thē eighteen so either too much prosperity or too much aduersity doeth hurt and
hinder a good mind the one by vexing and tormenting it by need the other by calling seducing it from vertue and honsty by delights and delicacy A hedghog foreseeing a tempest hideth himselfe in the earth so when a chaung of fortune happeneth the minde is to be fortified with precepts of philosophy As an archer somtimes hitteth the white sometimes shooteth neare it so fortune sometimes seaseth vppon our selues and sometimes vpon our goods Maximus apud Stobaeum ser 18. As a glasse sheweth what the face is so fortune sheweth what the man is Euripides apud Stob. 88. Grasse so long as it is greene doeth couer the mountaines and adorne the medowes and through the beauty doeth delight and refresh the eies of the beholders but when the heate of the sunne hath dryed vp the moysture and consumed it then it is many times made fewell for the fire so as long as fortune smileth and giueth health riches friends honours and dignities so long man florisheth his acquaintance are delighted and refreshed by him and all men behold him with admiration but when the heate of persecution hath scorched his glory or the frost of aduersitie hath pinched his wealth or the infirmity of sicknesse hath decayed his health thē he fadeth as a flower and many times he becommeth fewel for the fire of hell F. Ioan. a S. Gem. lib. 3. de vegetab et plan cap. 26 The vse and abuse of a thing PRometheus seeing a Satyre kisse the fire at the first sight of it admonished him that if he touched it it woulde burne him but if he vsed it as it should be vsed it was profitable both for the heat and light so the same thing as thou vsest it is either dangerous or profitable Plut. If many be made drunke with wine not therefore are the vines to be digged vp by the rootes as Lycurgus caused thē but rather more water is to bee vsed to allay the wine so if many abuse Poetry it is not forthwith to be banished but a caution is to bee vsed that it may bee wholsome Idem As in the nature of thinges those that are the most beautifull doe soonest wither decay as Roses Lilies Violets when as other last longer so in the life of man those thinges that are most florishing are verie quickly abused and diuerted into a contrarie vse Plinius lib. 9. cap. 15. The fish Polypus otherwise a stupide creature vseth great cunning intaking other fishes so many men are very wise for their owne lucre and gaine but in other things very blockish brute beasts Plin. lib. 9. cap. 29. As wines poured into vessels made of the tree Taxus become mortall and dead-in so wholsome erudition and instruction falling into a pestilent and bad nature becommeth hurtfull and dangerous Plin. lib. 16. cap. 11. As the salt sea water is vnwholesome to drinke but yet carieth a ship better then the fresh riuer which is wholesome for drinke so euery thing hath his vse if it bee vsed in the right kind As the Phylosopher that sent the tongues sent the best and the worste meate so riches are verie good if they be well vsed but starke nought if otherwise Plutarchus Wine doth comfort those that are in health and liue moderately as the scripture saith it maketh mery the hart of man but if he drinke it that hath a feuer it bringeth death and destruction vnto him so it commeth to passe that the same thing vsed diuersely doth bring life to one and death to another Origenes in libro Iudic. homilia quinta As the satiety of hony procureth vomit so good things being not wel vsed become hurtful Greg. Nazianzenus li. 1. de Theolo Riches ALthough it is necessary needful to eat for the reliefe sustentation of the body yet superfluity of meate doth very much hurt And although the life of man consisteth in the bloud yet too much abundance of bloud is the cause of death oftentimes killeth men so riches although they be necessary for the maintenance of life yet superfluity of temporall goods is no lesse hurtfull to the soule then too much meate to the body or too much bloud to the life Lod. Granat lib. de Deuotione A trauailer for his prouision in his voyage carieth his mony in gold for so is he richer and is troubled with lesse weight so the Lord doth lighten his children laying vpon them but easie burdens but yet sufficient and that which may content them ibidem As those kingdoms cities which the diuell shewed to our Sauiour Christ vpon the mountaine were not true riches but fantasticall and sightly in the eye euen so all the riches honours and glorie of this worlde are no perfect goods but fained dissembled as saint Iames saith a vapour that appeares a while and in a moment is dispersed As the full gorged Faulcon wil not know her maister and turne vnto him so the rich man that is pampered with prosperitie doth forget God and doth separate himselfe from him Euen as the children of Reuben and Gad desired Moses that he would leaue thē there in the country of Iordan where was good feeding for their cattell neuer caring to go to the land of promise in like maner there are many that refuse the kingdome of heauen promised them in perpetual possession for the loue of riches and corruptible goods they enioy in this false world Stella de contemptu mundi As in good and sauory meates poyson is often receiued and they that haue eaten thereof are forthwith ready for the graue so sweet are the riches of this world to such as loue them yet vnder them is death hidden because they make a man proud and vicious which bringeth him to eternall death Ibidem As the children of Israels Manna would haue corrupted and beene filled with vermine if it had bin saued so this worlds vaine riches are no way sooner lost then by too much sauing them ibidem As smoake mounted on high is quickly out of sight euen such is prosperity it beares a shewe for a while and at length comes to nothing ibidem As vpon the mountaine of Gilboa perished the noble and great men of Israel so doth prosperitie lead men vp as it were to a mountain and suddenly thence tumbles them headlong downe ibidem As the Gentiles vainely adored the Idoll Mercurie each of them carrying a stone in the honour of their Idoll euen so they that honour worldly prosperitie steale the honour which is due to God and bestow it on a base Idoll ibidem As a wise man is not hurt of a serpent because he keepes him farre from him but a foole taking him by the taile is bitten so riches being receiued of a wise man doe not hurt him because hee knowes how to vse them but if a foole lay holde on them they bite him because he gripes them too hard Clemens Alex. lib. 3. paedag cap. 6. As a land flood is soone vp and soone downe so
enuious mindes are knowne by their maners Gluttonie AS corporall fasting doth lift vp the spirit to God so superfluitie of meate and drinke doth cast and sinke it downe Lodo. Granat lib. de deuotione As the spirit when it is full of deuotion doth inuite the hart to spirituall and diuine thinges so the bodie being full of meate doth draw and hale the same vnto corporall and vaine matters ibidem As ships of lighter burthen do swiftly sayle through the sea but those that are ouerloaden with many burdens are drowned so fasting maketh the soule light that it lightly saileth ouer the sea of this life that it mounteth aloft and beholdeth heauen and heauenly thinges but being ouerburdened with too much meat and drinke the spirit groweth sleepie and the bodie heauy the soule is captiuated and made subiect to a thousand miseries ibidem As a soldior that is ouerloaden can hardly mannage his weapon so that man can hardly watch at his prayers who is gluttonously filled with superfluitie of meates Ibidem As much water is the cause of moorish groundes fens myres and muddy places where nothing engendreth but Toades Frogs Snakes and such like foule vermine euen so excesse of wine procureth brutish wicked and beastly desires many sensuall appetites and other sinnefull qualities Ibidem As Trees which are planted or cut in the full of the Moone do but ingender worms loose their owne vertue and perish the like doeth excesse of eating or drinking for when the bellie is full it nothing but encreaseth the wormes of sinne in the soule consumeth the whole man and cutting him off from God makes him die and wither in wickednes Stella de contemp mundi As the wals of Babilon were ouerthrown by Nabuchadnezar euen so doth surfeting by meat or drink destroy all the vertues abiding in the soule ibidem As Mathematicians circumscribe all things within a center and a circumferēce so many do circumscribe al pleasure within their bellies Plut. in Moralibus Aristotle saith that the fish whom the Grecians cal ovoç hoc est Asinus of al other liuing creatures hath the hart in the belly so gluttons haue theirs Clemens libro 2. paedag cap. 1. As a cloude doth obscure the beames of the Sunne so gluttony doth dimme the splendour of the minde Nilus oratione 1. aduersus vitia As birdes that haue weighty bodies are vnapt for flight so gluttons with their fleshy panches are vnfit for contemplation F. Ioannes a S. Geminiano lib. 4. de natalibus volatilibus cap. 35. Anger AS a drunken man cannot do any thing wisely and with reason of which he doth not afterwards repēt him as we read of Alexander the great so when as a man is disturbed and troubled with anger and blinded with the smoake of this passion he cannot rest neither take aduisemēt which to day although it seeme iust and reasonable vnto him yet to morrow when the fury of his passion shall be ouer he shall confesse that it was vniust and vnreasonable As in a tumult we doe not heare what is spoken vnto vs so angry persons doe not admit other mens counsell vnlesse reason speake within which appeaseth the hurlie burly of the mind Plut. As a tumour ariseth by a blowe of the flesh so effeminate and weake persons doe most of all swel with anger as women and old men idem The Barbarians do infect their weapons with poison that they may do double hurt so angry folks do againe and again poison their tongues with venemous words idem As the first messengers are not forthwith beleeued as Phocion of Athens hearing tel of Alexanders death saide if he bee deade to daie hee will bee dead to morrowe and for euer so wee must not presently beleeue anger saying vnto vs he hath iniuried me but wee must protract the time for manie daies make further inquiry idem As the body is shaken and corrupted with a long cough so the minde is exulcerated with often anger idem As a child through vnskilfulnes doth often hurt himselfe when hee would hurte another so many times anger doth hurt it selfe when it would wrong others idem As we doe not bridle horses in the race but before they runne so they that are subiect to anger are to be admonished by reasons before they fall into danger Idem If one fire be ioined to another the flame becommeth the greater so anger by anger is not appeased but is more prouoked Chrisost hom 12. operis imperfecti As Asses bite and kicke so angry people raile and fight Idem hom 3. in Ioannem As winter is ful of stormes so is an angry mind full of perturbations idem hom 9. ad pop Antioch Vineger infecteth a vessell if it long stay in it so anger corrupteth the heart if it make any aboade in it Augustinus Epistola 88. A scald head is soone broken so a womā and a child are soon angry Sen. lib. 1. de ira As lukewarme water asswageth inflammations so gentle and milde wordes doe quench anger Anthonius parte 2. sermone 53. As the sunne for fortie yeares neuer saw Episius eating so it neuer saw Iohn the Anchorete angry Idlenesse AS the Milesian garment did not become Hercules when hee serued Omphale after he had put off his Lions spoiles so neither doth it befit a ciuil man after his magistracy to giue himselfe vnto idlenesse and voluptuousnes Plut. As the birdes called Martinets are alwaies either flying or lying still vppon the earth because they want feet so some are too vehement in both extremities they are either too busie or too idle they keepe no meane Plin. lib. 10. cap. 39. As they that walke and play crankes vpon ropes if they be but a little carelesse fal down and so perish so they that walke in this life if they giue themselues but to a little idlenesse they are throwne headlong into folly Chrisost hom 3. de Ozia As rust doth putrifie iron so idlenesse doth corrupt the wit and disposition of man Ouid. lib. 5. de tristibus elegia 12. As water continually entring into a ship by some secret leak doth at the last drown it through the carelesnes of the Mariners so by idlenes and slothfulnes euil thoughts and concupiscences are so long multiplied till the ship of the heart yeelding vnto them be endangered with finne Bernard serm de S. Andrea As in standing water venemous wormes are engendered so in an idle soule ill thoughtes and hurtfull concupiscences are bred Laurentius Iustinianus lib. de perfectionis gradibus cap. 9. Birds that are couped vp soone growe fat so by lazines the body groweth corpulent and the mind vnfit for any good exercise Seneca epist 122. As too much bending breaketh the bow so too much remission spoileth the minde Seneca Rust doth fret the hardest iron if it bee not vsed the Moath doth eate the finest garment if it bee not worne mosse doth growe on the smoothest stone if it bee not stirred so impiety doth infect the wisest wit if it
which they doe not loue inwardly Bernardus sermone de benedict et Gregor 8. Morall As a swan hath white feathers and black flesh so an hypocrite hath faire words but foule workes Hector Pintut in cap. 40. Ezechiel As merchantes sell the skinnes of wilde beasts but do not meddle with the entrals so hypocrites onely meddle with outward things but doe not deale with inwarde matters Ibidem As those rocks in the sea are more dangerous which are couered with a little water then those which are eminent and easily discerned which matiners may auoide so hypocrites pretending piety are more dangerous then notorious wicked persons for these being knowen we may eschewe them when we know not how to auoide the other idem in cap. 9. Esayae Siluer albeit it be white yet it maketh blacke lines as lead so hypocrites shew otherwise then they are As wine mingled with water doth more prouoke vomit then either pure water or pure wine so that wickednes is more intolerable which is colored with piety then that wickednes which shewes to be so of it self As Apothecaries gild ouer their medicines that they may sell them the better so hypocrites gilde their wordes that they may the better cōpasse their purpose nay many cā tip their tongues with the gold of the gospel that they may the sooner entrap The Carbuncle hath a shewe like fire yet hath no fire in it so hypocrits haue the shewe of piety but in truth are far from it Plin. lib. 36. cap. 5 The Indians doe so counterfeit the precious stone Opalum that it cannot be discerned but onely in the sun so some hypocrites are so cunning in their dissimulation that it is hard for any to descry them but the eies of wisedome Plin. lib. 37. c. 6. As the beast Camelopardalis resembleth a horse in his necke an oxe in his feete and legges a cammell in his heade and a Tyger or Leopard in his spottes so hypocrites doe putte on diuers shapes of men if thou beholdest their habits they seeme holy if their speach thou wouldest thinke a champion spake but if thou lookest into their lifes thou shalt find them knaues if into their writings clowns and dotards As the Cretian can lie the Grecian shift the Italian court it and as Alexander can carouse Romulus abstaine the Epicure eat the Stoike fast Endimion sleepe and Chrysippus watch so the hypocrite can fitte all companies play the ambodexter in all places and bee a pleasing parasite for all times he can bee precise with the puritan iniunctiue with the potestant and Pope-holy with the papist As the Camelion though he hath most guts draweth least breath and as the Elder tree though he be fullest of pith is farthest from strength so hypocrites though outwardly they seeme full of pietie yet inwardly they are swelled with vice The bird Taurus hath a great voice but a small body the thunder a great clap yet but a little stone the emptie vessell giueth a greater sound then the full barrel so hypocrites haue plenty of words and promises but scarsity of workes and performances In painted pottes are hidden the deadliest poyson in the greenest grasse is the greatest Serpent in the clearest water the vgliest Toade and in the most curious Sepulchre are inclosed rotten bones so hypocrite vnder their faire pretences doe shrowde foule intendements As the Estrich carieth faire feathers but ranke flesh and as the Cypres tree beareth a faire leafe but no fruit so hypocrits make faire shewes but haue foule soules When the Foxe preacheth the Geese perish the Crocodile shrowdeth greatest treason vnder most pitifull teares so in a kissing mouth there lieth a galling minde In the coldest flint there is hot fire the Bee that hath honie in her mouth hath a sting in her taile the tree that beareth the sweetest fruit hath a sowre sappe so the wordes of hypocrites though they seeme smooth as oile yet their hearts are as crooked as the stalke of Iuie The Spider in the finest webbe dooth hang the fairest flie so an hypocrite with the fayrest wordes dooth betray the truest meaner As there needeth no more but one pin or pricke to pearce a bladder and to make all the wind therein inclosed incontinentlie to come foorth euen so there needeth no more but one verie little temptation to pull the visard from hypocrites and to discouer them to euerie man who shall know after that they shall be sifted that there was nothing but a colour and an imagination of all the reputation of righteousnesse and vertue which they had gotten among men As the basest golde though it bee raied with some durt is alwayes more precious then the brightest lead that a mā can find so the righteousnesse of a Christian man though it bee defiled through many infirmities and imperfections yet notwithstanding is more to bee esteemed then all the righteousnes of hypocrites and infidels As Barnacles are both fish and flesh as the Israelites spake both Ashdod and Hebrew as Ianus sawe both before and behinde as Balaam did both blesse and curse and as the Sea-mew or the Gull liues both in the water and vpon the earth so hypocrites are neither flesh nor fish they are holie with the holie and prophane with the wicked as Ehud they are ambodexters with the Church of Laodicea they are neither hot nor colde with Tullie they are both for Caesar and Pompey and with Tytides they cannot determine whether to ioyne with Achilles or Hector Vsurie AS a fish deuoures the baite with the hooke so an Vsurer deuoures the man with his money Basil in Psal 14. Vipers are borne by gnawng asunder the bellies of their dams so Vsurie is bred and nourished by consuming the houses and substance of debtors Ibidem As Baederastice is vnlawfull because it is against kinde so vsurie and encrease by gold and siluer is vnlawful because against nature nature hath made them sterill and barren vsurie makes them procreatiue As he that is stung of an Aspe falleth a sleepe with delight and so dieth by the sweetnes of sleepe so he that taketh vpon Vsurie for the time is delighted as one that had receiued a benefite and so by the sweetnes of the benefite he perceiueth not how he is made a captiue Chrysost hom 12 operis imperfect As the poyson of an Aspe doth lurkingly run thorow all the members and so corrupteth them so vsurie dooth run thorow all thy wealth and dooth conuert it into debt Ibidem As a little leauen sowreth the whole Iumpe of dow and turneth it into the same nature so vsurie whose house soeuer it enters into it drawes vnto it all the substance and conuerts it into debt Ibidem A Conie togither bringeth forth and nourisheth other yong ones and againe groweth great with yong so vsurers take vsurie vpon vsurie and gaine vpon gaine they call for their lucre before it come to the birth Plut. in Moralibus As fire growing to power dooth consume one thing after another so