morrowe bée more wilfull But alas it is no lesse common then lamentable to beholde the tottering estate of louers who thinke by delayes to preuente daungers with oyle to quench fire with smoke to cleare the eye sight They slatter themselues with a faynting farewell deferring euer vntill to morrow when as their morrow doth alwayes encrese their sorrow Lette neyther their amyable countenances neyther their painted protestacions neyther their deceitfull premises allure thée to delaâ—es Thinke this with thy selfe that the swéete songes of Calipso were subtill snares to entice Vlysses that the Crabbe then catcheth the Oyster when the Sunne shineth that Hiena when she speaketh lyke a man deuiseth most mischiefe the women when they be most pleasaunt pretend most trecherie Follow Alexander which hearing the commendation and singular comelynesse of the wife of Darius so couragiously withstood the assaultes of fancie that hée would not so much as take a viewe of hir beautie Imitate Cyrus a king indued with such continencie that he loathed to looke on the heauenly hewe of Panthea and when Araspus tolde him that she excelled all mortall wightes in amiable shewe by so much the more sayde Cyrus I ought to absteine from hir sight for if I follow thy counsayle in going to hir it maye bee I shall desire to continue with hir and by my lyght affection neglect my serious affaires Learne of Romulus to refraine from wine be it neuer so delicate of Agesilaus to despise costly apparell be it neuer so curious of Diogenes to detest women bee they neuer so comely Hée that toucheth pitche shall be defiled the sore eye infecteth the sounde the societie with women breedeth securitie in the soule and maketh all the sences sencelesse Moreouer take this counsaile as an article of thy Créede which I meane to sollow as the chiefe argument of my faith that idlenes is the onely nourse and nourisher of sensual appetite the sole maintenance of youthfull affection the first shaft that Cupide shooteth into the hot liuer of a héedlesse louer I woulde to God I were not able to finde this for a truth by mine owne tryall I would the example of others idlenesse had caused me rather to auoid the fault then experience of mine owne folly Howe dissolute haue I bene in striuing against good counsayle howe resolute in standing in mine owne conceite howe forwarde to wickednesse howe frowarde to wisedome howe wanton with too much cockeringe howe waywarde in hearing correction Neyther was I much vnlike these Abbate lubbers in my lyfe though farre vnlike them in beliefe which laboured till they were colde eat til they sweate and lay in bed till their boanes aked Héereof commeth it gentlemen that loue creepeth into the minde by priuie crafte and kéepeth his holde by maine courage The man béeing idle the minde is apte to all vncleanenesse the minde being voide of exercise the man is voide of honestie Doth not the rust fret the hardest yron if it bee not vsed Doth not the Moath eate the finest garment if it bée not worne Doth not Mosse growe on the smothest stone if it be not stirred Doth not impietie infect the wisest wit if it be giuen to idlenesse Is not the standinge water sooner frosen then the running streame Is not he that sitteth more subiect to sleepe then he that walketh Doth not common experience make this common vnto vs that the fattest grounde bringeth foorth nothing but wéedes if it be not well tilled That the sharpest wit enclineth onely to wickednesse if bée not exercised Is it not true which Seneca reporteth that as to much bendinge breaketh the bowe so to much remission spoyleth the minde Besides this immoderate sleepe immodest play vnsatiable swilling of wine doth so weaken the sences and bewitch the soule that before we feele the motion of loue wée are resolued into lust Eschewe idlenesse my Philautus so shalt thou easily vnbende the bowe and quenche the brandes of Cupide Loue giues place to laboure laboure and thou shalt neuer loue Cupide is a crâ—ftie childe following those aâ—â—an ynche that studye pleasure and flyinge those swyftlye that take paines Bende thy minde to the lawe whereby thou mayst haue vnderstanding of olde and auncient customes defende thy clientes enriche thy cofers and carry credite in thy Countrey If lawe séeme loathsome vnto thée searche the secretes of phisicke whereby thou maist know the hidden natures of hearbes whereby thou maiste gather profite to thy purse and pleasure to thy minde What can be more exquisite in humaine affaires then for euery feuer bée it neuer so hot for euery palsey be it neuer so colde for euery infection be it neuer so straunge to giue a remedy The olde verse standeth as yet in his olde vertue That Galen gyueth goods Iustinian honors If thou bee so nice that thou canst no waye brooke the practise of Phisicke or so vnwise that thou wilt not beate thy braynes about the institutes of the lawe conferre all thy study all thy time all thy treasure to the attayning of the sacred and sincere knowledge of diuinitie by this maist thou bridle thine incontinencie raine thine affections resâ—rayne thy lust Héere shalt thou beholde as it were in a glasse that all the glorye of man is as the grasse that all thinges vnder heauen are but vaine that our lyfe is but a shadowe a warfare a pilgrimage a vapor a bubble a blast of such shortnesse that Dauid sayth it is but a spanne longe of such sharpenesse that Iob noteth it replenished with all miseries of suche vncerteintie that we are no sooner borne but wée are subiecte to death the one foote no sooner on the grounde but the other ready to slippe into the graue Heere shalt thou finde ease for thy burden of sinne comforte for the conscience pined wyth vanitie mercy for thine offences by the martirdome of thy swéete Sauiour By this thou shalt be able to instruct those that be weake to confute those that bée obstinate to confounde those that be erronious to confirme the faythfull to comfort the desperate to cutte off the presumptious to saue thine owne soule by thy sure faith and edifie the hearts of many by thy sound doctrine If this séeme to straight a dyet for thy straininge disease or to holy a profession for so hollow a person then employ thy selfe to martial feats to iusts to turnayes yea to al tormeÌ„ts rather then to loiter in loue spend thy life in the laps of Ladyes what more monstrous can there be then to sée a younge man abuse those giftes to his owne shame which God hath giuen him for his owne preferment What greater inâ—amye then to conferre the sharpe wit to the making of lewde Sonnets to the idolatrous worshipping of their Ladies to the vaine delights of fancie to all kinde of vice as it were against kinde course of nature Is it not folly to shewe wit to women which are neither able nor willinge to receyue fruite thereoff Doest thou not knowe
was neuer wished for héere so earnestly of any as of hymselfe whether it might bée to renewe his talke or to recant his sayinges I cannot tell But whilest hée was yet speakinge Ferardo entered whome they all duetifully welcomed home who rounding Philautus in the care desired hym to accompany him immediatly without farther pausinge protesting it shoulde bée as well for his preferment as for his owne profite Philautus consentinge Ferardo sayd to his daughter Lucilla the vrgent affaires I haue in hande wyll scarce suffer mée to tarrye wyth you one houre yet my retourne I hope will bée so short that my absence shall not bréede thy sorrowe In the meane season I commit all thinges into thy custody wishing thée to vse thy accustomable courtesie And séeinge I must take Philautus wyth mée I will bée so bolde to craue you gentleman his friende to supplye his roome desiring you to take this hastye warninge for a hartye welcome and so to spende this time of mine absence in honest mirth And thus I leaue you Philautus knewe well the cause of this sodayne departure which was to redéeme certeine landes that were morgaged in his Fathers time to the vse of Ferardo who on that condition had before time promysed him his daughter in marriage But retourne wée to Euphues Euphues was supprised with such increadible ioye at this straunge euent that hée had almost sounded for séeing his coryuall to be departed and Ferardo to gyue him so friendly entertainment doubted not in time to get the good wyll of Lucilla Whome findinge in place conuenient without company with a bolde courage and comely gesture he began to aâ—â—ay hir in this sort Gentlewoman my acquaintaunce béeing so little I am afraide my credâ—te will bee lesse for that they commonly are soonest beleeued that are bâ—st belâ—ued and they liked best whome we haue knowne longest neuerthelesse the noble minde suspecteth no guile wythout cause neither condemneth any wight wythout proofe hauing therefore notise of your heroycall heart I am the better perswaded of my good hap So it is Lucilla that coÌ„ming to Naples but to fetch fire as the by word is not to make my place of abode I haue founde such flames that I can neither quench them wyth the water of free will neyther coole them wyth wisedome For as the Hoppe the poale béeing neuer so hye groweth to the ende or as the drye Béeche kindled at the roote neuer leaueth vntill it come to the toppe or as one droppe of poyson disperseth it selfe into euerye vaine so affection hauinge caught holde of my hearte and the sparkles of loue kindled my liuer wyll sodeinely thoughe secretlye flame vp into my heade and spreade it selfe into euerye sinewe It is your beautie pardon my abrupte boldenesse Ladye that hath taken euery part of mée prisoner and brought me to this déepe distresse but séeinge women when one praiseth them for their desertes deeme that hée flattereth them to obteine his desire I am héere present to yelde my selfe to such tryall as your courtesie in this behalfe shall require Yet will you coÌ„monly obiect this to such as serue you sterue to winne your good wil that hot loue is soone colde that the Bauin though it bourne bright is but a blaze that scaldinge water if it stande a while tourneth almost to yse that pepper â—hough it be hot in the mouth is colde in the mawe that the faith of men though it frye in their woordes it fréeseth in theire works Which things Lucilla albeit they be sufficient to reproue the lightnesse of some one yet can it not conuince euery one of lewdenes neither ought the constancie of all to be brought in question through the subtiltie of a fewe For although the worme entereth almost into euery woode yet he eateth not the Ceder trée Though the stone Cylindrus at euery thunder clappe rowle from the hill yet the pure sâ—éeke stone mounteth at the noyse though the rust fret the hardest stéele yet doth it not eate into the Emeraulde though Polypus chaunge his hew yet the Salamander kéepeth his coulour though Proteus transforme himselfe into euery shape yet Pygmalion retaineth his olde forme though Aeneas were to fickle to Dido yet Troylus was to faithfull to Craessida thoughe others séeme counterfaite in their déedes yet Lucilla perswade your selfe that Euphues will bée alwayes curraunt in his dealinges But as the true golde is tryed by the touch the pure flinte by the stroke of the yron so the loyall heart of the faithfull louer is knowen by the tryall of his Lady of the which tryall Lucilla if you shall accompte Euphues worthy assure your selfe hée wyll bée as readie to offer himselfe a sacrifice for your swéet sake as your selfe shall bée willinge to employe hym in your seruice Neyther doth hee desire to bée trusted any way vntill he shall be tried euery way neither doth hée craue credite at the first but a good countenaunce til time his desire shall be made manifest by hys desertes Thus not blynded by lyght affection but dazeled with your rare perfection and boldened by your excéeding courtesie I haue vnfolded mine entire loue desiring you hauing so good leasure to giue so friendly an aunswere as I may receiue comforte and you commendacion Lucilla although she were contented to heare this desired discourse yet did shee seeme to bee somewhat displeased And truely I know not whether it bée peculyar to that sex to dissemble with those whome they most desire or whether by craft they haue learned outwardely to loath that which inwardely they most loue yet wisely did she cast this in hir head that if she should yéelde at the first assault he woulde thinke hir a lyght huswife if she should reiect him sâ—ornefully a very haggard minding therefore that hâ— shoulde neyther take holde of hir promise neyther vnkindenesse of hir precisenesse she fedde him indifferently with hope and dispayre reason and affection lyfe and death Yet in the ende arguing wittilly vpon certeine questions they fell to suche agréement as poore Philautus woulde not haue agréed vnto if hée had bene present yet alwayes kéepinge the body vndefiled And thus shée replyed GEntleman as you may suspecte me of Idelnesse in giuing eare to your talke so may you conuince me of lyghtenesse in answering such toyes certes as you haue made mine eares glowe at the rehearsall of your loue so haue you galled my hart with the remembrance of your folly Though you came to Naples as a straunger yet were you welcome to my fathers house as a friend And can you then so much transgresse the bounds of honour I will not say of honestie as to solicite a sute more sharpe to me then deathe I haue hetherto God bethancked liued wythout suspition of lewdenesse and shall I nowe incurre the daunger of sensuall lybertie What hope can you haue to obtayne my loue seeing yet I coulde neuer affoord you a good looke Doe you therefore thinke me easely entised to the bent of your
straunge Idoll For all the Gods of the Gentiles are Diuels My sonnes kéepe your selues from Images the worshippinge of Idols is the cause of all euyll the beginninge and the ende Cursed bée that man that engraueth any Images it is an abhominatioÌ„ before the Lorde They shall be confounded that worshippe grauen Images or glory in Idols I wyll not giue my glorye to an other nor my prayses to grauen Images If all these testimonies of the Scriptures cannot make thée to acknowledge a lyuinge GOD harken what they saye of such as be altogether incredulous Euery vnbeleeuer shall dye in his incredulitie Woe be to those that bee loose in heart they beléeue there is no God and therefore they shall not bée protected of him The wrathe of the Lorde shall kindle agaynste an vnbléeuinge nation If yée beléeue not yée shall not endure Hée that beléeueth not shall bée damned Hée that beléeueth not is iudged alreadye The portion of the vnbeléeuers shall be in the lake that burneth wyth fire and brimstome which is the seconde death If thou feele in thy selfe Atheos anye sparke of grace praye vnto the Lorde and hée wyll cause it to flame if thou haue no feelinge of fayth yet praye and the Lorde wyll gyue aboundaunce for as hée is a terrible God whose voyce is lyke the rushinge of many waters so is he a mercifull God whose woordes are as softe as Oyle Though he breath fire out of his nostrils agaynst sinners yet is he milde to those that aske forgiuenesse But if thou bée obstinate that seeinge thou wylt not sée and knowing thou wylt not acknowledge then shall thy heart bée hardened wyth Pharao and grace shall bée taken awaye from thée with Saule Thus sayth the Lorde who so beléeueth not shall perishe heauen and earth shall passe but the word of the Lord shall endure for euer Submyt thy selfe before the throne of hys Maiestye and his mercye shall saue thée Honour the Lorde and it shalll bée well wyth thée Besides him feare no straunge god Honour the Lorde wyth all thy soule Offer vnto God the sacrifice of prayse Be not lyke the hipocrites whiche honour God with their lips but be farre from hym with their heartes neyther lyke the foole which sayth his in heart ther is no god But if thou wylt stil perseuer in thine obstinacie thine end shal be worse then thy beginning the Lord yea thy sauiour shal come to be thy Iudge when thou shalt beholde him come in glory with millions of Angels and Archangels when thou shalt sée him appeare in thundringes and lyghtninges and flashinges of fire when â—he mountaynes shall melt and the heauens be wrapped vp lyke a scrowle when all the earth shall tremble with what face wilt thou beholde his glorye that deniest his Godhead how canst thou abide his presence that beléeuest not his essence what hope canst thou haue to be saued which diddest neuer acknowledge a-any to be thy Sauiour Then shall it be sayde to thée and to all those of thy sâ—cte vnlesse ye râ—pent depart all yee workers of iniquitie there shall bée wéepinge and gnashing of téeth When you shal sée Abraham Isaac and Iacob and all the Prophets in the kingdome of God and yée to bée thrust out You shall conceyue heate and bringe foorth woode your owne consciences shall consume you lyke fire Héere dost thou sée Atheos the threatninges agaynst vnbeléeuers and the punishment prepared for miscreantes What better or sounder proofe canst thou haue that there is a GOD then thine owne conscience which is vnto thée a thousande wytnesses Consider wyth thy selfe that thy soule is immortal made to the Image of the almighty God bée not curious to enquire of God but carefull to beléeue neither bée thou desperate if thou sée thy sinnes abounde but faythfull to obteine mercy for the Lorde will saue thée bycause it is hys pleasure searche therefore the Scriptures for they testifie of him Atheos Truely Euphues you haue sayde somewhat but you goe about contrarye to the customes of schooles which mée thinckes you shoulde dilygentlye obserue béeinge a professed Philosopher for when I demaunde by what reason men are induced to acknowledge a God you confirme it by course of Scripture as who shoulde saye there were not a relatyon betwéene GOD and the Scripture bycause as the olde Fathers define wythout Scripture there were no GOD no Scripture without a god Whosoeuer therefore denyeth a Godhead denyeth also the scriptures which testifie of him This is in my opinion absurdum per absurdius to proue one absurditie by an other If thou canst as substantiallye by reason proue thy authoritie of Scriptures to be true as thou hast proued by Scriptures there is a God then will I willyngly with thée both beléeue the Scriptures and worshippe thy god I haue heard that Antiochus commaunded all the copies of the Testament to bée burnt from whence therefore haue we these newe bookes I thincke thou wilt not saye by reuelation therefore goe forwarde Euphues I haue read of the milke of a Tygresse that the more salte there is throwne into it the fresher it is and it may be that thou hast eyther eaten of that milke or that thou arte the Whelpe of that Monster for the more reasons that are beate into thy head the more vnreasonable thou séemest to bée the greater my authorities are the lesser is thy beliefe As touching the authoritie of Scriptures although there be manye arguments which do proue yea and enforce the wicked to confesse that the Scriptures came from God yet by none other meane then by the secrete testimony of the holy Ghost our heartes are truely perswaded that it is God which speaketh in the lawe in the Prophets in the Gospell the orderly disposition of the wisedome of God the doctrine sauoring nothing of earthlynesse the godly agreement of all parts amonge themselues and specially the basenesse of contemptible wordes vttering the high misteryes of the heauenly kingedome are seconde helpes to establish the Scriptures Moreouer the antiquitie of the Scripture whereas the bookes of other Relygions are later then the bookes of Moses which yet doth not himselfe inuent a newe God but setteth foorth to the Israelites the God of their fathers Whereas Moses doth not byde the shame of Leuy his father nor the mourninge of Aaron his brother and of Marie his sister nor doth aduannce his owne children The same are arguments that in his booke is nothing fayned by man Also the myracles that happened as well at the publyshing of the lawe as in all the rest of time are infallyble proofes that the Scriptures procéeded from the mouth of god Also whereas Moses speaking in the person of Iacob assigneth gouernment to the Tribe of Iuda and where he telleth before of the callynge of the Gentiles whereof the one came to passe foure hundreth yeares after the other almost two thousande yeares these are arguments that it is GOD himselfe that speaketh in the bookes of Moses Whereas